The Defeated and Despaired
by BellaAodh
Summary: A sequel to my kitty fanfiction The Broken and Desperate. Following Kit and Ty as they journey to the Scholomance together. The two struggle to reconcile as Kit tries to prevent Ty from reaching a goal that may very well kill him.
1. The Coming Storm

**This is a sequal series to my previous fic The Broken and Desperate. If you havent read it I recommend reading it first.**

 _"I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity."_ **-Edgar Allen Poe**

Kit felt like he was waking from a terrible daze as he sat in one of the classrooms that had been cleared out for testing. He hadn't even remembered getting there or if he got any sleep the night before for that matter. He was definitely not in any shape to take whatever test the Scholomance had set up for its applicants. Not that it mattered now, now that he knew Ty was only planning to apply to use the resources to bring back his sister from the dead. In truth without Ty joining, Kit didn't have any reason to try become a centurion, he was better off flunking and forgetting the whole thing. Maybe then he could return to the L.A. institute and warn Julian what Ty was planning on doing.

Kit watched the other applicants file in and take their seats, most of them he knew from the two years he spent at the academy, a few he didnt recognize.

And then there was Ty.

Kit felt suddenly awake as he watched him walk across the room and take a seat away from him. He was looking as tired as Kit felt, his dark hair sticking out at odd ends like he didn't bother to even look in the mirror. His grey eyes almost hidden, dead set on what was in front of him. Kit felt a terrible yearning come over him for Ty to look over at him. Last night he had told him that he loved him, and Ty had kissed him. They had tried desperately to tangle themselves around one another, reaching for an impossible closeness before it all fell apart. Breaking into pieces before they even had a chance to know what they had.

 _Look at me._

 _Look at me, Ty._

It was like waking up from a pleasant dream to have reality crash down around him again as he turned away, clenching his jaw. What was he expecting? He broke any chance he had with him along with his trust when he swore he would prevent him from trying to bring back Livvy. He would be lucky if Ty ever spared him a second glance again. The door closed as the last of the applicants found their seats. Three proctors stood at the front of the room, all of them wearing dark cloaks with the centurion pin proudly displayed on their chest. One of them moved to pass out papers to everyone, while the man in the center cleared his throat, his deep voice calling to everyone's attention.

"This first test as you've undoubtedly realized, will be a written examination testing your knowledge of the Shadowworld. This test will not only have definitive right and wrong answers but also will be testing your comprehension and problems solving. In which case only the best answers of all the applicants will be counted as correct."

 _Wow_ , Kit thought, that was harsh. He wasn't really sure what he was expecting, but he definitely hadn't anticipated his answers being compared to someone like Ty. Great, now even if he wanted to he had no chance at joining.

"Now that you know what is expected of you, you may be begin and we will see if any of you has what it takes to move on to the next trial." He finished. Kit stole another glance at Ty who, of course, seemed unfazed, getting to work right away.

Kit looked down at his own test, what was he going to do now? Despite what had happened between them, Ty was serious when he said he would do it on his own without him. He remembered now what Ty had said about the Scholomance having access to resources that he needed. _That's right, this is all to bring back Livvy to him._ He reminded himself, and there was no way he could stop Ty from doing something stupid like some necromantic ritual if he got into the Scholomance without him. Kit looked down at the first problem on the test.

A draconic demon and a ravener demon set after a Shadowhunter at the same time. The average speed of the ravener demon is 30 mph slower than twice the speed of the draconic demon. What demon would reach the Shadowhunter first and how long would it take if the ravener demon is bent on into consideration the Shadowhunter is wearing an endurance rune.

Kit blinked, he was supposed to answer this? Kit gripped his pen, he couldn't allow himself to fail yet, he had to pass this test. He had to find a way to prevent Ty from getting into the Scholomance, no matter what it takes.

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Kit wasn't surprised that Ty achieved top marks, but he would have been pleased that he had the third highest marks if he wasn't too busy worrying about the next test, and feeling almost drained from the relief that he had ranked high enough to move on. Still he couldn't deny that a part of him wondered if Ty was impressed at all at how far Kit had come in just two years, a very stupid part of him that didn't know his priorities. The proctors had granted them a short break before the remaining applicants were to meet them at the gate of the Academy for the next exam. Kit watched Ty make his way to the entrance hall, probably deciding on getting to the meeting place early. Kit made a move to follow him when someone grabbed his shoulder pulling him back.

Irritated, Kit turned to face whoever had grabbed him his best glare already in place when he looked up to see someone he hadn't expected. His eyebrows flew up in surprise, but his face quickly turned into a scowl once again. Jace Lightwood had pulled him back from the rest of the applicants already heading out to the gate.

"What are you doing here?" He was too tired to summon up the level of patience needed to deal with Jace. A few people around them stopped what they were doing to stare, a few girls were whispering to one another. It was something Kit had learned to expect from the rare visits from Jace he had gotten, he was after all a war hero. And as the girls in his classes liked to remind him, extremely attractive, inviting the comparisons between the two. Which annoyed Kit to no end. Ever since he came to live with the Shadowhunters people had told him he looked like Jace, and as he had gotten older those similarities only increased. He was no longer short and scrawny, even though Jace was still taller, Kit had definitely expanded his muscle mass. He had lost his baby fat, his sharp angles maturing his face. But his eyes were still blue at least.

"Well this might be my last chance to see you off if you and Ty get accepted into the Scholomance." Kit flinched at Ty's name, painfully reminded that no one else knew about what had happened the night before. Jace raised an eyebrow at his reaction.

"Don't worry you can do this, your related to me after all. Besides you didn't make it to the top of your class for nothing." Jace said completely misreading Kit's reaction. Not that that had stopped both Catherine Highsmith and Ty from beating him at the written exam.

"What if no one passes the the test? Will they just fail everyone?" He asked hopefully. Jace just shrugged, but he looked him over, his haughty demeanor changing as he gave him a look that seemed to see right through him. His golden eyes narrowing. Kit wondered if he really did look like the older man, sure they shared a family resemblance, but Kit couldn't really imagine himself looking so...so _jace_ like. It was one of those few moments that reminded Kit that regardless of how ridiculous he usually acted Jace was considered to be one of the best shadowhunters for a reason.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He looked as if he wanted to say something else, probably that he didn't have to do this just for Ty's sake. But they both knew he would never say that, Jace who would have given up anything for Clary knew he had no place to try to talk Kit out something that involved Ty.

"Yeah, I'm just..I'm just nervous." Kit said, his voice coming out more hoarse then he'd like. Jace looked up to see they were along in the hall now, all the other applicants having already left to the appointed meeting place.

"Well you better go, you don't want to let Ty down by getting disqualified by not even showing up. I think Julian would actually kill you, I'm not even going to lie that guy scares me a bit." Jace turned Kit around thumping him on the back pushing him towards the door. Kit was going to say something sarcastic but felt his throat clamp up and just mechanically started walking down the hall.

Kit felt his heart sink as the reality of what he was planning on doing set in. Letting down Ty was a gross understatement of what he was doing.

But he had made him a promise and he intended on keeping this one.


	2. A Voice to Bring You Home

" _All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream."_ **-Edgar Allen Poe**

Kit arrived late outside of the gates, earning himself some exasperated glances from his former classmates who were more then used to Kit arriving late to lessons. Save of course, for the one person he wished would look his way. Ty was at the front of the crowd set apart from the rest, standing closer to the proctors. He seemed to be looking determinedly forward as everyone turned to look at Kit as he strode across the lawn to join the applicants.

"Ahem, _now_ that everyone is here I shall begin explaining the next test." The same man from the previous test spoke. Kit resisted the urge to smile at him in response. Something flared to life next to the man and Kit suddenly noticed Catarina standing off to the side with what appeared to be a portal.

Kit felt his heart drop.

"I'm sure you have noticed the portal you are all standing in front of. We have gotten permission from the guard to allow use of this portal to transport you all outside of Brocelind forest." The proctor paused for a moment as if expecting gasps of shock, instead there was silence. "When we give you the go ahead you will pass through the portal and enter the forest to retrieve an artifact of significance and bring it back. There is a limited amount of artifacts so not everyone of you will find one, time is of the essences. That being said the only time limit on this test is when everyone has left the forest, which may take several days. Remember the forest is home to rogue downworlders and more. If you come across more than you can handle send a fire message for help and you will be collected, but disqualified." As soon as he finished a boy with short blonde hair and green eyes, Kit instantly recognized as Hanis Ashtree raised his hand.

"What are the artifacts that were looking for exactly sir?" He asked before waiting to be called on.

"You'll have to figure that out on your own-you're a Scholomance applicant aren't you? You're here to prove you are the best among us, distinguish what is relevant from what is meaningless." He snapped. Hanis let his hand fall, shrinking inwards on himself. Kit rolled his eyes. It all sounded like more elitist shadowhunter bullshit to him.

"Now remember, there will be no help for you in there-you are entirely on your own. Do not undertake this task if you have any doubts about your capabilities, because this could very well prove fatal to you." He said moving away from the portal and pulling out a sheet of paper to read from. A memory floated to the surface of Kit's mind. " _My father told me you people would try to kill me."_ he had said to Jace years ago.

"We will begin by calling out the names of the remaining applicants in order from the bottom ranked to the top of your last exam results. When your name is called come forward and step through the portal." At that he began calling out names and one by one the crowd began to thin out as each applicant took their turn to go through the portal. Kit felt his panic rising as he heard his name called. Numbly he walked forward trying his best to not let his fear show. He had never gotten used to traveling by portal-in fact he hated it.

Calm down, he told himself, reminding himself he just had to keep his mind on his destination. He had been to the Brocelind forest for training before, surely he couldn't screw this up. Kit reached the portal and hesitated, watching the swirling green lights inside.

"Herondale, if you cant even go through a simple portal…" But Kit didn't wait to hear the end of the sentence as he plunged himself forward. Panic welled inside him as he felt his body shift as it left the space it previously occupied.  
What if I get lost?

What if my arm gets left behind or teleported to New Zealand? " _That's only happened a few times. It's statistically very unlikely."_ He remembered Ty saying.

Suddenly Kit was plummeted into darkness and a bone chilling coldness sent him into shock as he opened his mouth to shout. That's when the water started rushing in. Immediately Kit clamped his mouth shut as he involuntarily swallowed the water, resisting the urge to spasm from accidentally inhaling some of it. He felt his body with more clarity as he floated in the water slowly sinking down. He realized he had somehow managed to teleport directly into lake Lynn.

Kit opened his eyes to see almost pitch blackness, all he could do was react on instinct. Kit kicked upwards swimming hard praying he would reach the surface before he ran out of oxygen. Kit felt the water get warmer as he swam. Light was dancing across the surface break like a beacon telling him he was almost there. Kit pushed himself harder just as the world seemed to melt away from him.

Suddenly he was standing on solid ground again. He turned to look around him but his surroundings were still too dark to make out. Kit felt a light tap on his shoulder, he turned around and instantly recognized the girl standing behind him. She looked exactly the way she did when they put her on that funeral pyre several years ago, except for the fatal wound to her heart. She wasn't a phantom like he had so often dreamed, she was real, alive and vibrant. Standing in front of him in her white dress he had said goodbye to her in. She smiled at him and it radiated warmth and friendship just like he remembered.

"Livvy?" He felt his voice crack on her name. "Livvy I-" Kit didn't know what to say. He was too afraid she would disappear. He wanted to tell her he missed her, that they had been lost without her. He reached out and grabbed her hands-she felt warm and alive. A rush of memories flooded him of Livvy, and he felt his grief for her overwhelm like he was saying goodbye all over again. She reached up and gripped his shoulder giving him a gentle squeeze.

" Oh, Kit I'm so sorry. I tried to warn you." She gave him a sad smile.

"I don't understand what your saying." He said searching her face. Blue green eyes, Blackthorn eyes, shining back at him. Suddenly her form began to blur, and she was ripped away from him, pulled into the distance at in human speeds.

"Wait come back! Livvy!" He yelled after her. He needed to bring her back to Ty, he needed to-

"What did I tell you? Invite in death and death will stay." Said a familiar voice from behind him, a voice that froze him to his core. Kit slowly turned his head and there stood Johnny Rook, larger than life and growing still, till Kit had to cane his neck to look up at his father.

"But then again you never did listen to my warnings." Kit opened his mouth in horror stumbling backwards, feeling like a small child again-no, he _was_ a child again. Kit looked down at his ten year old body, small hands attached to skinny arms. Johnny turned his head away from his son, looking off in the dark distance.

"Here he comes."

Kit turned to see what he was looking at and saw a small boy. As the boy approached, the area around lit up, turning the darkness into the L.A. institute. For a moment Kit thought the boy was Tavvy with his dark curls and blue green eyes, but this boy was at least twelve. He walked up to Kit, and Julian was still taller than him even in their former child bodies.

"Kit, It's time for bed I've been looking for you everywhere." Julian looked down at him with un masked concerned. He was looking at him like he was one of his brothers, Kit realized, feeling his throat tighten.

"I was worried. Please don't run off like that." He said grabbing Kit's hand and taking him down the hallway. "I know things have been scary, but it's okay, we have our family. And I would never let anything happen to you." He smiled at Kit, and for a moment he felt himself relax, Jules was right after all. What had he been worrying about when he had his big brother here? Jules would always protect him, he thought as he held his brother's hand. But something about that thought jarred him. There was something wrong, like a memory that kept slipping away from him. They reached the end of the hallway and stopped in front of a door leading to a room Kit knew very well.

"But I'm not enough, not always. Ty needs you Kit, not me." He said dropping his hand. Kit felt something pull from inside him at Ty's name. An unmistakable pull towards the boy on the other side of the door. There was a voice coming from the room, small and muffled. Julian looked up.

"He's having nightmares again, I don't know what to do-Kit!" Jules said as Kit quickly went for the door handle. Without a second thought Kit wrenched open the door, ready to rush in when he was bathed in a sudden blinding white light. It poured through the doorway consuming the institute. Kit looked over his shoulder to see Julian standing there with a grim expression. Kit saw his mouth moving but couldn't make out the words as a noise coming from the otherside of the door began ringing in his ears. And then Julian was gone, swallowed up by the light.

"Kit! Kit wake up, _please._ " The noise said. Not a noise but a voice, but it sounded far away still.

"Come back to me...come on!" He felt something touch him, but he wasn't sure, his body felt heavy and distant at the same time. Kit tried to open his eyes but his vision was blurry. He wasn't sure if he had actually managed to open his eyes or if he slipped into another hallucination. A figure stood over him. The light surrounding him seemed to cast him in a black shadow. But still, there was something there, the shape of the shoulders, the color of glittering steel peeking out from the darkness, that made Kit think:

 _How beautiful._

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Kit awoke with a jolt, sitting up so fast he he doubled over from the searing headache he gave himself. He looked around him, noticing Lake Lynn and then how soaked his gear was. Slowly, he started to remember what happened: his portaling into the lake and subucuming to strange dreams while he was trapped under the water. But how had he made it out of the lake? There was no one around him as he got to his feet and there was no telling how long he had been unconscious for. Kit patted down his body, he felt real but then again so had his hallucinations.

Like, Livvy had felt real. He remembered seeing her there, speaking to him as if she had just left him. Leaving him doubting not for the last time if he was doing the right thing.

Kit shook his head directing his attention to the surrounding forest. He wasn't quite at the center of the forest yet.

The surrounding trees were thick and a lush of fall colors covering the ground making the forest floor look like stained glass. Much different from the part of the forest that had been affected by the blight from the unseelie king, turning much of the forest into white ash. And if Kit had to bet, thats was where he would find an artifact, and where he would find Ty.

Kit walked through the forest, his hand ready on his weapons belt. He was glad to note that he had only lost his witchlight in the lake, which wouldn't be of much use to him soon anyway. He wasn't entirely sure which direction he needed to head in without a map, so he stopped for a moment feeling the wind breeze pass him. He felt the wind lift his hair, warm and cool brushed his skin, and then chilling cold. There, Kit's eyes snapped open turning in the direction of the cold air. It might have been his imagination, but the trees seemed to loom over the forest floor casting dark shadows where he was facing. Kit took a step forward towards the dark path when he heard a loud snap from behind him. Quickly, Kit whirled around pulling out a seraph blade to see Hanis Ashtree standing stock still a few feet behind him.

"Son of a-!" Kit swore. "What the hell are you doing here Ashtree?"

"The Scholomance application, don't you remember? Or did you think we were all out here for a nice stroll through the woods?" Hanis said taking a step forward.

"Don't try to be funny, we both know your not smart enough." Kit watched Hanis as he approached, he was moving slowly, deliberately he realized. Something was wrong, the stiffness in his movements, the stillness in his expressions.

"I think we'll find out whose the smart one when we see which one of us finishes the test. Your famous name won't get you anywhere here." His careful expression turned into an ugly leer, Kit recognized the signs of someone about to snap, raising his sword arm in response.

" Look if you really want me to kick your ass I'd be happy to help. But I got to tell you I have bigger problems to deal with." Hanis watched Kit raise his blade and pulled out his chakrams, his eyes never leaving Kit's.

He might have expected this if he had thought about it. Kit didn't exactly make alot of friends at the academy, in fact he did a pretty good job at making most of his classmates despise him. Thanks to his constant questioning of Shadowhunter culture, rude remarks to students he didn't like, and his dislike to anyone enamoured with his Herondale linage, it had almost seemed like he was going out of the way to make enemies. It made a sort of sick sense that someone would try to take the opportunity to take their revenge and prove he had no place among the Shadowhunter elite.

Still, Kit really didn't have time for this.

"Too bad for you, I'll be the one leaving with an artifact." Hanis said impressed with himself, raising his weapon for dramatic effect.

He seemed to be waiting for a response, or stealing himself for the right moment.

"Just throw the damn chakram already." Kit said exasperated, whispering the name of his seraph blade as it blazed to life in his hands.

Hanis obliged.


	3. Words Left Unsaid

" _The true genius shudders at incompleteness-and usually prefers silence to saying something which is not everything it should be."_ \- **Edgar Allen Poe.**

Ty stood alone in the center of Brocelind forest. Well not the center exactly, he corrected his own thoughts. But the white ash that floated through the trees was a sure sign he was getting close.

Ty tried not to think about Kit. He tried not to think about last night, and how for just a moment everything seemed to fall into place, like he never dreamed it would.

He tried not to think about it, but his body still seemed to ache in the places Kit had touched him. When he closed his eyes he could still feel Kit's hands as he held him, his lips on his…

He opened his eyes. There was no point thinking about it, he had to do what he came here for and Kit made his intentions clear. So they wouldn't be together, they couldn't be now, that was the truth of the situation. And maybe he could live with that if he got his twin back.

But it didn't feel like it right now.

Ty felt a shiver run through him and he knew he was on the verge of breaking down if didn't distract himself. He had to keep his mind focused. Ty wrapped the wire of his headphones around his fingers, twisting and untwisting it, distracting himself from the onslaught of emotions that were threatening to tear him apart if he let them. He was heading in the right direction, all he needed to do now was make sure he surveyed the surroundings-

An arrow whizzed through the air slicing his shoulder as it tore through his gear. Ty jumped back, drawing his knife from his belt. Looking up into the trees he saw a familiar looking Shadowhunter standing on a branch leaning against the tree trunk. He was one of the applicants, his reddish brown hair pulled back in a short ponytail, his bow drawn and aimed right at Ty.

" Tiberius Blackthorn was it? Nice to meetcha, I'm Markus Redwood." He called down from the tree. Ty wasn't really sure that shooting an arrow at someone qualified as acceptable behavior for someone who is supposably pleased to meet you.

"If you know who I am then why did you shoot at me?" He asked perplexed by the strange behavior.

"Why? Cause I'm gonna get my hands on one of those artifacts and I'll be damned if I let some kid who didnt even go to the Academy." His voice changed, and suddenly he didn't sound so friendly as he first appeared. Not for the first time Ty wished he could read people like Kit, it was a skill of his he had always admired. But something clicked as he remembered something interesting.

"Redwood...Your father was a supporter of Sebastian during the Dark War and became one of the first endarkned." Ty said putting the pieces together. "You think you have some sort of honor to prove."

" Don't get so cocky, _Blackthorn_ , your family isn't exactly in high standing with the Clave either! And as for your friend, well he certainly made his fair share of enemies here. I'm sure someone's already taken care of _him_. The Herondales might be considered legends but he'll be lucky if gets out of this forest alive."

Ty felt himself grow cold, felt it spread from his heart to every fiber of himself. Was Kit really in trouble? Had he put him in danger by not staying at his side when he pulled him out of the lake? He had made sure Kit hadn't ingested a toxic amount of lake water, but that didn't seem to be enough to keep him safe from danger.

All because he hadn't known what to say to him.

"Hey are you even listening to me? Are you listening to _music?_ Look at me!" Markus shouted snapping Ty out of his reevier. Ty dug his feet in the ground, readying his stance. It was clear Markus was looking for a fight, and Ty was feeling uncharacteristically angry. They stared each other down for a moment before Markus threw aside his bow taking out his seraph blade. Markus was planning on leaving the highground realizing that he was at a disadvantage in his current position, leaving him with low mobility. The tension snapped as Ty threw his knife taking his advantage before Markus leapt down. Quickly, Markus jumped down avoiding the knife that flew by, landing in crouch. The knife embedded itself in a distant tree. Ty had expected to possibly encounter downworlders, but he had not anticipated fighting off fellow Shadowhunters.

 _Centurions really were assholes_ , he thought to himself.

That's when Ty turned and ran.

"Coward! Fight me like a Nephilim!" He shouted as he pursued him through the thicket. Ty sprinted through the forest, jumping over the thick shrubbery that threatened to entangle him. He could hear Markus gaining speed as he got used to the terrain. The specks of white ash becoming more frequent, threatening to obscure Ty's sight as he dove deeper into the wood. Ty skidded to to a halt at the edge of a barren field covered in ash and trees reduced to burnt white stumps.

 _Found it._

Ty swiveled around, producing another knife from his belt, waiting for Markus to catch up. As Markus jumped over a fallen log he slowed down to a stop, standing just a few feet from him. His seraph blade still blazing. He started taking a few purposeful strides towards him.

"Are you running from me or trying to find your missing Herondale to help you?" Markus lurched for him.

"Hopefully he'll stay lost this time-"

Ty turned on his heel moving to the side as Markus swept past him. His seraph blade sputtered out as he crossed into the blighted land, just as Ty knew it would. He raised the pommel of his dagger and brought it down hitting the back of Markus' head with some unnecessary force. Markus didn't get to finish his sentence as he fell over unconscious from the blow. Ty felt his anger subside as he looked down at the Shadowhunter lying face down in the ash, glad he didn't have to hear him speak about Kit any longer.

Ty looked behind him at the blight. He had found what he was looking for, the place most likely to have something of significance to gain him entry into the Scholomance. The first necessary step in resurrecting his sister was right here. But…

Ty turned his back on the blighted land facing the direction he came from and sprinted off without looking back. He wasn't sure how far he had traveled from the lake but one thing was for sure.

He _was_ going to find Kit, and he was going to be ok.

He had to be.

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Just as Ty was beginning to think he had gone off course and he would have to change direction again, a flash of blond and red caught his eye. Ty turned to see Kit standing there his eyes wide, and breathing hard from running. A considerable amount of blood down the front of his gear.

"Kit! Are you hurt?" He stumbled over towards him. He wanted to reach out and check him for injuries until he was absolutely sure without a doubt he was unharmed. But he held back keeping his arms tightly to his side.

"I'm fine, it's not my blood. Hanis tried to ambush me...he's not dead though." Kit said quickly. His eyes searching Ty, probably for any sign of injury, or something else. It was strange the distance between them considering how close they were the night before. It was as if neither of them could stand the thought of being so close to one another again, or perhaps it was just the opposite.

"Ty, your shaking." He took a step towards him but Ty turned away from him. It hurt to look at him, the very sight of him stinging his eyes. Ty dug his nails into his hands, he knew he was probably drawing blood but his emotions were threatening to overcome him. And he couldn't afford that. Not right now.

"We should stick together for now, just in case something else unexpected happens." He said turning to walk ahead of Kit. He hoped he came off dismissive, giving off the air that Kit could follow him if he wanted, and that it was of little consequence to him. Not that he had sprinted through the woods desperately searching for him, and hated the idea of leaving Kit now to face

the dangerous on his own. He felt relieved as he heard Kit's steps follow him after a moment. They walked together in silence, something Ty used to find enjoyable in the past, but now it was practically unbearable. Not even his headphones were enough to distract Ty from the onslaught of thoughts and emotions going through him.

 _Focus,_ he told himself. They were in a different part of the forest than Ty had been in yet and it was growing darker, which was going to be problematic if they didn't find shelter soon. It wasn't long before Ty found an overgrown beaten path. It appeared to be an old dirt road that hadn't been used in years, judging how the undergrowth had almost reclaimed it. Ty motioned for Kit as they followed the road to an old abandoned manor house.

Silverhood manor, Ty recalled. No one had lived there in years since the Silverhood line had died out. It would make an ideal sanctuary for the night as long as the building was structurally sound. They might even find something of interest inside. He only hoped the old house was indeed still abandoned. Slowly they crept inside, Ty pulled out his witchlight to guide them as they went. Ty held up the stone casting a green glow on the rotted surroundings. The paint was chipped and faded, vines wormed their way from the floorboards, greenage sprouted from the cracks in the manor appeared almost like a natural part of the forest.

"I doubt anything is here but we should be sure we're alone." Ty said, pressing his foot on the creaky floorboards, testing the sturdiness. He was sure there were weak spots in the floor that would have caved under pressure. Not exactly optimal living conditions.

"Right." Kit said turning away from him to examine the next room. Maybe he had gotten the hint that Ty didnt want to talk. It should have been a relief, though it felt more like a punch to the gut. But there were more important things to be concerned with, and he was on a case, he reminded himself.

There was nothing on the first floor that indicated anyone had been in the house in a long time, nothing threatening at least. Ty tested the first step on the grand staircase, it felt sturdy enough. Slowly he moved up the stairs, carefully distributing his weight evenly as he stepped. He reached the top of the staircase when something on ground caught his eyes. Dust that glittered as he raised his witchlight. Forgetting his weight, he took a step forward when a loud groan erupted from the floorboards underneath him. He froze but it was too late, the floor giving way immediately.

"Ty!"

Just as he felt himself begin to fall he was suddenly yanked backwards, tan arms wrapped around him. Kit's gear still damp from the lake. Ty sucked in a breath as his brain quickly caught up with the fast sequence of events that was unfolding. Before Kit even had time to react, Ty ripped himself from the other boy, finding a safe place for his weight on the floor with all the grace of a Shadowhunter. Kit looked shocked at how violently Ty to reacted to him. Ty turned away, crouching down by the glittering powder on the floor that had caught his attention.

 _Silver._

But why was there silver powder on the floor? And how long had it been there? The floorboards were dry rotted and a thick layer of dust coated the floor and fogged the glass shards surrounding the powder. It must have been there for along time. Ty produced a small vile from his pouch and scooped as much of it up as he could before straightening up to show Kit.

"Silver powder." He said simply. Kit's eyes narrowed considering it, before widening half a fraction.

"Ty-your hand…" He started, taking a tentative step forward. Ty looked at his hand that was holding the vile, his fingers were sliced open, blood began coating the dusty surface of the vile. He was so focused on his task and trying to clear his mind of Kit, that he hadn't even noticed cutting himself on the broken glass.

"Here, let me give you an _iratze."_ Kit took a step closer holding his hand out for him, his stele already in his other hand.

Ty didnt say anything, didn't move. He knew he should just refuse and maintain their distance, but he could feel a deep yearning to be close to him again, even for a moment.

Kit must have noticed his hesitation because he just said: "Ty, please." His hand was still outstretched for him. Reluctantly Ty gave him his hand and Kit leaned in close to examine his hand. His blond curls fell over his eyes as he flipped his hand over. His head was bent so close to Ty he felt his breath catch. He could smell cologne and a scent he had learned to associate with just Kit. He also smelled the Academy, it reminded him of a time when Kit instead smelled of ocean and salt, it made him wistful. Ty watched as Kit traced the rune slow and steady on his skin, he must be taking extra care. Ty wished he could tell if Kit was as nervous being so close together as he was.

Ty thought about the Voyance rune on Kit's hand, the rune he himself had put on him. He remembered how he almost marked him without his consent. How afraid he was that he almost did something Kit would never forgive him for, and how Kit hastily changed his mind accepting his offer. It was only sometime after that Ty realized Kit might have only agreed to the rune to spare Ty of embarrassment, to make him happy. Ty had wondered why he would do something like that, but never believed it was because he could have returned his feelings. Only now did he know that he was wrong.

Now that it didn't matter.

As soon as Kit finished Ty hastily jerked his hand back, flexing his hand and examining the new rune.

"You've improved alot." Ty acknowledged. He was referencing everything that he had improved on at the academy, not just runes. He was impressed, proud even, by how much Kit had improved in his training. Becoming first in his class, and even scoring the third highest marks on the written exam. Ty always knew Kit was strong and smart, now everyone knew.

Kit gave him a ghost of a smile. "I've changed alot too." He said, making Ty's heart falter. Was he trying to tell him he wasn't the same person who he fell in love with? Or the same person who fell in love with him?

"Um...Let's...lets look through the rooms and see if we can find any indication to why this silver powder was left here." He said trying to push back the questions he had.

"Do you think the proctors hid an artifact in here?" Kit asked.

He hadn't figured it out yet, Ty realized. Though, he would have guessed most of the applicants hadn't, otherwise they wouldn't be attacking one another. "There are no artifacts."

"What do you mean, I don't understand." Kit asked slowly. Ty supposed he could already tell he wouldn't like the answer.

"It was a lie, the proctors never set anything up. They want to see if we can find anything of interest on our own. If we do I suspect they will launch their own investigation from there."

Kit's brow furrowed, his mouth turned down into a scowl. "So their using us to dig something up about downworlders for them. Of course they are." He practically spat.

Ty was correct, he did not like the answer. Neither did he for that matter, but he didn't make the rules. "Essentially. We just need to find something of value." Ty explained, turning his head looking into the darkness of the other rooms.

"Before we look for clues..." Kit said in a low voice as if he was afraid they would be overheard. Ty perked up at the indication that they were working on a mystery together. Like Sherlock and Watson. He felt himself smile, letting his happiness at the thought eclipse his recent misery for a moment.

"I came up here to look for you because I think something is in here with us. I saw something in the shadows up here, but I couldn't make out what it was and then it was gone." He said, his eyes darting to the dark spaces behind Ty.

"Let's move together then." Ty said lowering his voice to match Kit's.

Quietly and carefully they moved through the rooms together, opening drawers, desks, checking under beds, for anything at all. After an hour of thoroughly searching the upstairs and even the downstairs again the only thing Ty could conclude was that werewolves had once occupied the space, judging from the scratches in several specific locations. However, that didn't tell him when they had lived there. Though that could explain the presence of the silver powder. It was well past sundown and the forest was chilling at night and growing colder by the minute. Ty casted a glance at Kit shivering in his wet gear.

"We should make a fire, your gear hasn't dried yet and you're going to freeze to death." Ty stopped, realizing he made a mistake as soon as he said it.

Kit stiffened. "Did you...Did you know I was in the lake?" He asked.

Ty didn't say anything, he just pulled out a pipe cleaner he had stored in one of his weapon pouches. He had debated whether or not to bring it with him, but ultimately decided making sure he was mentally prepared for whatever happened was more important then not looking weird.

Kit drew closer to him, his voice almost a whisper now. "Ty, were you the one who pulled me out of the lake?"

Ty closed his eyes tightly and nodded.

"How did you find me? I seriously doubt you accidently portalled yourself into Lake Lynn."

Ty began rapidly unraveling and raveling the pipe cleaner in his hands. "I didnt, I portalled to you." He finally said, despair leaking into his words. He heard Kit's sharp intake of breath.

"To me? Why would you do that?" His voice was even softer now and Ty felt himself break at the sound of it.

"Because I was worried about you!" He said frustrated. "I know you hate portalling and I knew you were nervous. I couldn't stop thinking about you, worried something would happen to you when you went through. So the portal brought me to you! It brought me to the edge of the lake and I was confused until I saw you there just under the surface. I-I was so scared..." He broke off suddenly choked by emotion. What would he have done if he was to late?

Kit was shifting on his feet, Ty could tell he was debating if he should close the distance between them. "Why did leave after pulling me out?"

Ty thought he sounded hurt, though he didn't know why that would be. He didn't think what he had to say would comfort him either.

"I didn't know what to say to you." He felt ashamed. But what was the point of talking if it only made things worse between them? They couldnt be together, they probably couldn't even be friends now, but still it hurt. It hurt and Ty didnt think there was anything that either of them could say to make it better.

That was when it looked like Kit had lost it. He looked like he was about to go mad, and he had an expression on his face Ty didnt think he had ever seen before. He moved towards him when suddenly, he whipped his head around to look at something to his left. Ty followed his gaze but saw nothing. Perplexed, Ty looked back at Kit who had a look of horror on his face before smoothing out to something more calm.

"It's a ghost." He whispered for Ty's benefit. Of course, Herondales could see ghost, that explains what Kit had seen earlier that Ty hadn't. Ty listened as Kit started an awkward one sided conversation with the ghost in front of them. Ty was doing his best to keep up, only being able to glean insight from Kit's responses. From what he was gathering the ghost was a werewolf who had once lived in the manor after the the Silverhood's had died. He was killed by Valentine Morgenstern of all people, in attempts to discover who had killed his father.

"So you lied to him then? You think the werewolf that's responsible could be still out there?"

Ty waited for to hear more but Kit just stood there in silence. His blue eyes looked clouded in the dark, like a thunderstorm, and his mouth was in a tight line.

"Kit what did he say?" Ty asked but Kit didn't answer. He wouldn't even look at him.

"I need to know what he said. This could be it, this could be what we need-" Kit had turned away from him now, and there was something about it that cut him off, suddenly remembering Kit's vow to stop him anyway he could.

Panic started to flood through him.

"You have to tell me, you wouldn't do this to me. _Please."_ He pleaded desperately. He couldn't do this, he wouldn't, not to him, not Kit.

But still Kit didn't say anything.

And Ty felt the betrayal sink in.

Wow that took longer then expected, mostly because I was hoping to end the exam with this chapter but realized late that it would have to happen in the next one. But mostly it has been awhile since I had chapter from Ty's perspective so I wanted to catch up with him! Hopefully it was worth the wait and you guys enjoyed it!


	4. The Choices We Make

" _Years of love have been forgot, in the hatred of a minute."_ **\- Edgar Allen Poe**

Kit was staring horrified at the ghastly image of the deceased man in front of him. He was an old man, wrinkles lined his face and his hair was almost a translucent color thanks to his transparent appearance. What was more disturbing was it looked as if his mouth had been burnt somehow, scorch marks rimmed his mouth, and long gashes on his torso exposed his insidess. Kit felt sick just looking at him.

"Shadowhunter." He growled.

"It's a ghost." He whispered to Ty, his eyes not leaving the man.

"Thanks to your kind." He scowled, cold hatred clear in his eyes. Kit wracked his brain to remember if a non corporeal being could actually harm them.

"Did the Silverhood's kill you?" He thought that was reasonable question, being a dead werewolf in a former Shadowhunter estate and all. But the man just laughed, it sounded hoarse and humourless.

"No boy, not the Silverhoods', they were long dead before I got here. No, the one that did me in was a _Morgenstern._ " He sneered.

Kit's eyes narrowed, there was only one Morgenstern that hated downworlders enough to do _that,_ his eyes raked the man's ravaged form. "Valentine Morgenstern..." He saw surprise register Ty's face as he tried to piece together the conversation.

The man let out another low growl, his face turning feral at the sound of his murder's name. Kit imagined he could see his canines extending. Maybe they were, he didn't really know how lycanthrope ghost worked, did they still have the ability to transform?

"He came looking for the lycanthrope who killed his father he said. Tied up my little grandaughter when her parents were out, he wanted to kill her, the bastard did." If this story didn't' lighten up soon he really would be sick, Kit thought to himself. He had heard of Valentine's cruelty and hypocritical beliefs throughout downworld. But Kit had really become apart of the Shadow world late. So the madness of Valentine always seemed like a distant dictator, or historical tyrant from long ago.

"Then he dragged me outside and tortured me to death even after I told him what he wanted." He continued.

"Why are you telling me this?" Kit asked wondering why this ghost had appeared to him suddenly to tell him about his murder out of the blue.

"Because, I want to know what happened to the man, I want to know if he knows suffering yet. And if you tell me, I'll tell you something." He said eyeing Kit. "Besides, there's something different about you, you don't have the same stench as other Nephilim."

"Can ghost actually smell or do you just really like werewolf analogies?" Kit asked sarcastically. Ty was looking a little agitated at the sudden detour the conversation had taken.

The man laughed. "Don't get smart boy, I meant you seem cut from a different cloth. I like the cut of your jibe." He tried again.

"I think I would like to go back to the werewolf puns now." Kit folded his arms. The man just glared, tiring quickly of Kit's quips.

"If you want to know, Valentine staged another uprising and might have succeeded if his children didn't royally screw him over. Oh, and the heavens themselves sent him a literal "fuck you" when Raziel himself shot a hole through his chest." It might not have been the exact lesson he was taught about the Mortal war at the Academy, but it was how he chose to remember the events.

The werewolf smiled blissfully at the news. "That is better news than I could have hoped for. Can't say i'm sorry the Shadowhunters got what they deserved. They created that monster afterall, with their Clave, and laws oppressing all of downworld."

Kit shrugged, he wasn't sure he could really argue that they didn't deserve it either. "Lex mulla, Lex nulla." He said, the corners of his mouth twitching. The werewolf and Ty just stared at him. He wondered how much of this Ty was keeping up with.

"You told me what I wanted to know, so do you want to know what I know?" He said.

"Well there's a mouthful…" Kit mumbled. "I mean, fine what information do you have?" He added, catching the look the man was giving him.

"I'll tell you what I wouldn't tell Valentine, who killed his father." He said smugly at Kit's shocked reaction.

Kit's arms falling back to his sides."So you lied to him then? And you think the werewolf that's responsible could still be out there?"

"Don't know, anythings possible. He had a lot of allies who would be willing to throw their lives away to protect him, I know that much." He said crossing his arms now.

Kit just let the information wash over him. This was big, the werewolf who held one of the biggest contributions to shaping one of the Shadow world's greatest enemies to have ever lived might still be out there.

"Kit, what did he say?" Ty's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. _That's right, Tys been listening to everything._

"Well boy do you want to know the name or not?" The old man was clearly growing impatient as Kit seemed to have drifted of into his own world.

"I need to know what he said. This could be it, this could be what we need-" Kit turned away from the excitement in Ty's voice, disgusted with himself. Disgusted with his decision to betray his friend. He felt his jaw tighten as he steeled himself to disappoint Ty again.

The silence dragged on uncomfortably long.

"You have to tell me. You wouldn't do this to me, _please."_ Ty begged as he realized Kit wasn't planning on telling him anything. Ty pleading almost broke him down right then and there.

"No I don't want to know, and no I'm not going to tell you anything else either Ty." Kit said letting out a long breath. He felt Ty stiffen beside him, the werewolf looked merely confused at the odd proclamation.

"No? Well, whatever have it your way. I'm not in a hurry to rat out my kind to Nephilim." He said. His form began to shift and fade, as he began to disappear Kit wondered if he was finally leaving this world behind or simply going somewhere else. The man regarded Kit once more, his eyes curious. "You know it's funny, you look like one of the men that was with him that day. Same blond hair and blue eyes…"

 _He's talking about Jace's father_ , Kit realized.

"I'll give you a piece of advice before I go, don't let yourself get led by the nose by Nephilim." He let out another bark of a laugh before disappearing completely.

 _But I am a Nephilim._ He thought a little absently.

"How, how can you do this?" Ty's voice was tight and strained. Kit had never heard him sound this angry before, anger colored with disbelief. Usually when he was upset he had a quiet sort of anger, one that he tried to control. Kit could already tell that this wasn't going to be a typical disagreement like they had in the past.

Kit turned to face him now. "You know why, I said I'd stop you and I meant it." He sounded more defeated then resolute but Ty flinched at the words regardless.

"You…" Ty cut himself off, he looked to frustrated to find the words he was feeling. He was shaking, his head bent down and his black curls fell in his face hiding his eyes.

Kit swallowed. How did it come to this? How had they became whatever this was? This was the last thing he had ever wanted.

Ty looked up suddenly and his grey eyes were shining like starlight as he held back tears. His mouth was twisted as if he was in pain. "Kit, I _need_ you." He croaked. and Kit could hear the plea behind his words: " _don't do this to me."_

But he couldn't lose Ty.

"I know, but I need you too." His voice was full of self loathing as he held up the vile of silver powder he had taken from Ty. He saw his eyes widen in shock, self consciously feeling his pouch where Kit had stolen the vile from. Kit had learned some slight of hand at the Shadow Market when running some cons for his dad. As he drew the iratze on Ty's hand he used his distraction to slip the vile out of his pouch without Ty even realizing.

Kit popped off the cork with his thumb and tipped the contents into the cracks of the floorboards just as Ty darted forward as he saw what Kit was about to do. The silver powder disappeared under the cracked floorboards leaving hardly a trace behind.

And there goes the evidence, Kit thought bitterly.

Time seemed to move in slow motion for Ty as he watched what felt like every grain of powder slip through the cracks in the floorboard. He felt himself losing his sister again and again as he watched each grain disappear.

A quarter of the contents fell through, and he watched again as the mortal sword buried into Livvy's heart, watched as she fell to the floor calling for him.

Half the contents gone and he was standing all in white by her pyre as she became nothing but smoke and ash.

The last bit of powder disappeared and he would never see his twin again. Everything he had worked so long for had fallen apart.

And it was all because of Kit.

Ty didnt stop running as the silver made its way into the foundation underneath them. Instead he grabbed the front of Kit's gear and shoved him hard against the wall. Surprised, Kit dropped the vile he was holding, his head hitting the wall as Ty slammed him against it. Somewhere during the comotion Kit heard the vile breaking as it fell. Kit saw colors blot his vision as he focused his eyes on Ty holding him against the wall. His hands in tight fists knotted in his gear.

"I trusted you! I-" His voice broke on the last word, his body trembling, but still he held Kit in place.

 _You what, loved me?_ He felt dazed and a little sick from the throbbing in his head.

Kit wondered vaguely if they could ever come back from this.

He wanted to lean down and kiss him badly, he wanted to wrap his arms around him to stop the shaking and apologize profusely for everything that had happened until the sun came up. He wanted to promise him he could be enough for him if he gave him a chance. That t _hey_ could be enough.

But he knew better then that.

"Just tell me why!" Ty glared up at him with hatred in his eyes like sharp steel.

 _Because I love you,_ Kit thought. He felt it in his soul, in every part of his being. Some days it was the only thing about himself he was sure about.

The similarities between the position that Ty held him in now and the one he held him in at knife point when they met for the first time wasn't lost on Kit. "Go on, figure it out." He said unable to help himself, smiling a little twistedly. He felt a tear roll down his cheek. He hadn't even noticed his eyes watering, was it from hitting his head or something else?

Ty's eyes widened a fraction as the words hit him, registering the first words Kit had ever spoken to him. He let his hands fall to his sides letting go of Kit. Ty was still breathing hard, he could feel the rage rolling off him.

"Because Tiberius Blackthorn, you are all that matters." Kit answered thinking back to the first time he realized he would do anything for Ty. Almost anything. He knew it wasn't a good enough answer for Ty, it wasn't really a good answer at all, but it was the truth. He would let Ty hate him, lose him forever if it meant that Ty was safe.

Ty lifted his gaze to meet his, and the coldness in his stare took his breath away. He knew then no matter what he told himself, he was really doing this for himself. Because he couldn't stand the idea of living without him.

He was selfish.

For the first time it was Kit who broke the eye contact, unable to look him in the eye any longer.

"Just give it up already Ty, please." He whispered. Ty stared him down for a moment longer before storming off slamming the door to the manor behind him. Kit ran after him running into the darkness of the forest. It was impossible to see at night with the thick wood covering any moonlight and after a few miles of running blindly into the dark did Kit remember that he was a Shadowhunter. Kit swore loudly as he pulled out his stele he just remembered he had and scribbled on a night vision rune.

His surroundings instantly became a bright grey color. It was a little disorienting but at least he could see now. Ty wasn't in sight but Kit had a pretty good idea where he was going. There could be anything out there in the forest at night not to mention that they had both already been attacked by fellow Shadowhunters. Kit ran faster now pushing himself. He knew he was being reckless crashing through the forest without any regard for concealment but he didn't care. He had never seen Ty this angry before and he was terrified at what he might do.

If something happened to Ty now it would be all his fault. He shouldn't have pushed him like that, he should have...Well he didn't know what he should have done.

Kit reached the part of the forest infected by the Blight. Soft downy ash floated through the air, covering the ground, stumps burnt white. Standing there amongst the ash was Ty, moonlight had spilled into the clearing making the ground he stood on look luminous, bits of white dust that looked like stars amongst his black hair. Ty with his pale skin and black gear matched his dichotomous surroundings looking elegant. He looked like the subject of a fairy painting. It was a sight that would have stopped Kit dead to stare in any situation, much less this one at the curiosity of what he was doing.

Ty was writing something with his stele on one of the few relatively healthy looking trees in the clearing. Confused, Kit walked up behind him, Ty didnt turn around but stiffened as he sensed his approach. Ty was using a stele alright, he must have found the very edge of where the magic that prevented the use of their seraphic weapons was. As he reached Ty, he finished what he was writing and pulled out a piece of parchment paper. Kit read the words he had carved on the tree his confusion growing:

 _The Viol, the violet, and the vine._

 _Resignedly beneath the sky._

 _The melancholy waters lie._

 _So blend the turrets and shadows there._

 _That all seem pendulous in the air._

 _While from the proud tower in the town,_

 _Death looks gigantically down._

"Ty, what is this? This looks like a spell." Kit let his fingertips brush the words on the tree and felt a shudder run through him. There was power in these words he could feel it. But how did Ty know them?

"It is, it's from The Black Volume." Ty said through gritted teeth.

Kit was about to ask why he had written them when the message in his hands burst into flame and smoke before disappearing, a fire message.

Kit's eyes widened in alarm. "You called the Centurions? Your- you're faking evidence!"

"Well you destroyed my real evidence." Was all he said, his eyes fixed determinedly on the tree in front of them. Kit could hardly believe it. Ty had always been stubborn but he had always disapproved of things like cheating and lying. Of course, he was still a Blackthorn and even though he didn't share the same family resemblance his brother and sisters shared, he was still willing to do anything for his family.

"You can't just lie to Centurions to get into the Scholomance! If they figure it out who knows what they will do to you!" Kit was gripping his hair, a bad habit he had been forming from stress lately.

Ty turned to look at him now. "Then turn me in. Tell them I'm lying and they'll throw me out, that's what you want isn't it?" He challenged.

" I didn't want any of this." He said quietly. Ty's expression changed from determination to that of confliction. Vulnerability shining through him. The sound of rustling and foot steps alerted them to someone behind them. Kit instinctively pulled out a dagger, Ty just waited for the approach of their Proctors. Three hooded figures, each displaying their centurion pins on their chest, walked over to them.

"Ah, Herondale and Blackthorn." Said the same Proctor that had explained both of their exams before. "If it isn't the Parabatai-that-never-were."

Kit narrowed his eyes at the nickname. He had heard it before, it was no secret he had only come to train at the stupid school so he could join the Scholomance with Ty. There was alot of speculation on why they weren't parabatai, maybe they just decided to late, or maybe the Clave didn't want a Herondale tied to a Blackthorn whose family was under scrutiny. But the popular theory was that they had only chosen not to undergo the ritual so they could join the Scholomance together. Not a popular decision among Nephilim who were desperate for warriors, and the bond was the best weapon they had.

No one ever considered that he might have romantic feelings for Tiberius. Not Kit whose good looks demanded a comparison to Jace Lightwood from anyone who looked at him. Not Kit who came from such a distinguished family, and was one of the only surviving members in fact. No, Kit couldn't have interest in guys. Not like _that._

They were all idiots.

"It appears you two are determined to impress." He said not kindly. Kit could see him more closely now. The man's face was practically lined with wrinkles. He must have been ancient, but his eyes twinkled with a sharp intelligence. The man's gaze slipped past them to the tree behind them. He walked forward placing his hand upon the tree, and like Kit he shuddered at the power of those words. There was no denying this was a real spell.

Kit's stomach twisted.

"How did you find this?" He asked in awe.

"I noticed that there was something off about the tree, some form of glamour. It took awhile to find a space on the tree that wasn't blighted, but when I did the enlighten rune revealed this."

Kit tried to not let his jaw drop open. He had never really heard Ty lie before, but here he was pulling off an expert con. He was pretty sure that he was the only one who could tell that he was nervous and sounded a little rehearsed. He knew Ty well enough to notice he was strained, the way his hands fluttered at his side, his eyes darting across the surface of the tree.

"Why would this be left on unblighted land?" He questioned. The knot in his stomach tightened, he was doubting Ty, Kit realized.

"They might have assumed the blight would have over taken this are by now, but I think it's likely it was meant to be found. It appears to be a faerie spell. Faeries are expressive, and if they are after revenge they would want us to know exactly who is responsible." Ty reasoned, even Kit almost believed him. This must have been his back up plan. A very stupid and risky backup plan that Kit pushed him into.

The Proctor considered this, drumming his fingers against his chin. The other Centurions swooped in inspecting the message.

 _They're going to figure it out, and who knows what the'll do to Ty._ Kit was beginning to panic as their "evidence" was taken under scrutiny.

"I think the spell is referencing the place, or places the blight will hit." Ty said suddenly excited as he stepped forward pointing out a specific line of the spell.

".. _From the proud tower in the town.._ It's a reference to Alicante and the demon towers." Ty explained. His eyes lit up as they always did when he explaining an exciting conclusion or interesting fact.

Kit knew he wasn't lying now. Ty said the spell was from the Black Volume, maybe it really had something to do with blight after all.

The proctor was now looking at Ty clearly impressed. "Still...It's odd that no one, Centurion or warlock has found this during any of our investigations." He said, skepticism clearly still intact.

"You sent us to prove we were the best of the best didnt you?" Ty simply said, his chin jutting out in defiance. Kit felt a rush of inappropriate pride for him, despite the terrible situation they were in.

"Well then Herondale? Have you two truly found what no one else has here? All on your own?" He turned on him, his eyes boring into his. This was it, he just needed to tell him Ty had faked the evidence and he would be barred from the Scholomance and the resources he needed to try some stupid suicidal necromantic ritual.

 _And they would think Ty was a cheater without any honor, too dumb to make it on his own._

"Yes, we checked the perimeter for anything unusual and when we used a rune to see through the glamour it revealed this spell. Or at least part of one." Kit answered, trying hard not to look at Ty who was probably staring bewilderedly at him.

"That settles it then. I believe you both have more than proved your worth. Christopher Herondale, Tiberius Blackthorn, Welcome to the Scholomance."

88888888888888888888888888888888888888

Kit dragged himself across the entryway of the Academy fighting to keep his eyes open. Ty had gone off with the Centurions to discuss the Fungal demon they had found the day before. Though, Kit suspected Ty just didn't want to be a alone with Kit as they walked up to their rooms together. He was about to take the first step to the stairs when he noticed Jace leaning against the banister as if he was posing for a photo shoot or something. _Greaaat,_ he thought _._

"Hey, I heard you made it. Not that I'm surprised we do share the same blood." Jace smiled, peeling himself off the banister.

Kit pointed out that they didn't share the extra angel blood which was a major difference. Jace smiled wider, his chipped tooth visible, a flaw that would normally detract from someone's good looks but probably just made him look more accessible.

Kit scowled.

"Where's Tiberius?" Jace asked looking around the corner as if he expected him to show up.

"He's busy." Kit grumbled, looking away from him.

"Is something going on between you two?" He asked.

"Nothing is going on, everything is just a little stressful right now." Kit snapped.

Jace raised an eyebrow. "Just wondering, Ty has been here for what? Two days and I've been here for at least a day and I have yet to see you two in the same room together is all."

"Really? Cause I don't see Clary, and you've been here for what almost two days?" Kit heard his mistake only after saying it. Damn his sarcasm. "I just mean we both have been a little preoccupied, in case you forgot." He amended, but he could tell Jace wasn't buying it.

Why was he even lying about this still? Jace probably _knew_ , even Kit had to admit he was uncomfortably perceptive.

"You know…" Jace started slowly. "Clary stabbed me with a sword once."

" _What?"_ Kit turned to stare at him.

Jace was picking at a spot on his face. "You know the whole Heavenly Fire thing." Kit thought that did sound familiar now that he had mentioned it. "It was when I was bond to Sebastian and he couldn't be killed without killing me too. Everyone was trying to find a way to save me, but I tried to give myself up the Silent City."

"But they would have killed you." Kit pointed out.

"I'm a Shadowhunter, I would rather die than be used by Sebastian. And I would rather die than be forced to kill my friends and family." He added at Kit's skeptical look.

"OK, so what happened next, obviously you didn't go through with it." He was interested despite himself.

"No, Clary stopped me, and I continued to be possessed and almost killed her."

Kit thought about that, how it must feel to betray someone you love's desires because you were afraid of losing them. He wondered how similar this was to his situation with Ty.

"Eventually she realized she should respect what I wanted and my decision about my own life. Even if that meant letting me go." He finished.

"But you survived." Kit wasn't sure if the moral of the story was intact if Jace survived his noble sacrifice.

"Well, you know what they say, good things happen to those that are good looking." Jace shrugged.

"No one says that." Jace began to open his mouth. "And don't say: I just did. It makes you look like an ass." Kit felt his exasperation with Jace flare up again.

"What I'm trying to say here is that knowing the right thing to do for someone isn't always easy." He said now with surprising gentleness.

"But what if what their trying to do is less self sacrificing and more stupid?" Kit asked.

"Well I wouldn't really know the answer to that unless you would want to tell me what's going on."

"No, I wouldn't." Kit groaned starting up the stairs to his room. " Aren't you the head of an institute? Shouldn't you be doing something important instead of hanging around in entryways all day?"

"Actually, standing in entryways is usually par for the course, albeit usually more important entryways." Jace called as Kit disappeared at the top of the stairs.

Kit opened the door to his bedroom and flung himself on his bed, wishing to himself that he could leave a conversation with Jace on good terms at least once.

He rolled over on his back, pulling the pillow over his face. He should probably stay up till Ty got back to talk about the spell, and the fact that Ty had fabricated evidence, but he was just too tired. Besides, they would have plenty of time for that later.

Whether they liked it or not, they were in this together now.

 **So the spell is taken from the poem Kingdom by The Sea by Edgar Allen Poe and is the poem QoAaD is going to be based of so I thought it was appropriate to use. Also sorry if I dont always get things as canonically correct such as how the Blight works exactly or other things. That was one of the things I was most worried about continuing this fic because I would have to take alot liberties to create a new story line and I dont have confidence in my abilities to do it justice. But hopefully you guys will enjoy it regardless!**


	5. The Words I've Saved For You

" _I would define, in brief, the poetry of words as the rhythmical creation of beauty."_

 **-Edgar Allen Poe**

Ty was never good at conversation. He never really understood what was expected of him to say, or how to say it for that matter. He was fluent in visualization, that was his language, and images were his thoughts. Translating those images into words was a process, and though he had gotten better at it over the years, it was more of a second language to him. This was something he had found hard to explain in the past. Livvy was an anomaly, and he was aware that even the rest of his family never had, and probably never would understand him like she had. So it was strange that Kit had always made conversation feel so easy.

Ty remembered one night when Kit and himself had been hanging out in his room in the L.A. institute. One of the visiting Centurions had gone on a lengthy description on how similar Kit was to Jace Lightwood, and Kit was on a rant. This wasn't unusual for the two of them when one of them became noticeably upset about something (and Ty had began to pride himself on identifying when Kit was upset) they would retire to his room to talk about it, or calm down. Sometimes one of them would just rant about something of particular interest while the other would read or scroll through their phone.

Ty was normally very bad at contributing to conversations like this, not knowing what response was expected of him, and he was especially bad at responding if the subject matter didn't particularly interest him. But Kit always interested him, and even more he cared about him, _loved_ him in fact. So like everything else where Kit was concerned he tried to put in more effort. Normally he would just reply with a curt comment or a nod of the head in acknowledgment. But Kit didn't mind this as others might, and if Kit wanted a more in depth response he knew Ty well enough to ask a specific question so Ty knew what he was looking for. This made conversation with Kit something special, and easy, it was even relaxing.

"I don't get it." Ty said looking up from his book for the first time.

Kit paused his ranting, looking at him in surprise. "What don't you understand?"

"Why people think your so much alike." Ty tilted his head as if he was trying to solve the puzzle. "I've met Jace, technically I've known him longer than I've known you, your not that similar. I don't even think you look that similar." Clearly, Kit was more attractive, Ty thought to himself. Ty had learned language by associating words with a picture that he could recall to help him remember the words meaning. Words that had a more abstract concept had been the most difficult for him to remember because there wasn't a particular easy image to associate them with. "Love" was one of these such concepts. For a long time when he thought of love he thought of storge, familial love. So the image that came to mind was that of his family. When he thought of romantic love he pictured a rose, because it was commonly given as a romantic gesture. But now when he thought of love he saw Kit.

The image he always saw was Kit leaning over Ty after knocking him to the ground to protect him from one of The Riders of Manann. The sun was behind him casting most of his face in shadow, his blue eyes darting to look at him, measuring him to see if he was hurt. Sweat was plastered on his skin from the fight, and Ty could see the lightest sprinkle of freckles on his nose.

There was blood trickling down his face and matting his blond hair, and a million other details he could map perfectly.

How could anyone think he looked anything like Jace?

Ty looked thoughtful for a moment listing the similarities between Kit and Jace. "Though, you both have that confusing sense of humor."

"Sarcasm you mean?" Kit said, beaming affectionately at him.

"Yes, that." Ty smiled back.

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Even though Kit seemed to have no problems talking to Ty where most people did, he did however, seem to have difficulty talking to his only relative.

Ty watched as the head of the New York institute said goodbye to Kit as they prepared to leave for the Scholomance. Kit was looking rather frustrated, a look he often had when talking to Jace. Despite how similar they might look, Ty couldn't read Jace's expression but Kit's was quite clear to him. He had after all, tried to memorize all of Kit's expressions and subtle cue's he couldn't read on anyone else. And though he didn't always succeed in reading the boy he was fascinated with, he could tell that right now he was annoyed.

Ty knew that most of Kit's conversations with his relative left him feeling frustrated and he would usually lash out walking away from the other man all together. He also knew that even though Kit didn't like to admit it, that he would later feel guilty at how he left things.

As if on que, Kit skulked off away from Jace with a scowl on his face. Seeing Ty, Jace nodded in his direction. Ty, not sure if Jace was asking for him to come over or if he had done something wrong by watching them, decided to just mimic the gesture and nodded back. Hoping that Jace was just acknowledging his presence.

Ty turned to watch as the Centurions and former proctors prepared a new portal in front of the Academy as Kit walked up to wait for the portal, making sure to keep a careful distance between the two. Ty felt conflicted, Kit had lied for him despite everything he had promised and yet there was still this distance between them. He wanted to ask why he had done it, putting himself at risk like that just for Ty, just so he could do something he didn't even approve of.

But he knew better then to let Kit get close to him again. It would only break his resolve and he couldn't afford that now after everything he had done.

"We will be portaling to the Scholomance shortly. We will portal through first so you two can safely follow regardless of never visiting the Scholomance before." The woman Centurion explained before turning her attention back to the portal.

Ty glanced at Kit out of the corner of his eye. Kit's shoulders were tense, his hands clenched into fists. He was nervous about portaling again he knew. Just like he was before he accidently portaled himself into Lake Lynn, and Ty had thankfully found him. He felt a flicker of that same cold fear he had felt when he saw Kit floating lifeless just beneath the surface of the water.

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Kit's breath caught as Ty walked to stand next to him. They stood a ways away from the Centurion's who were fussing over the portal. Ty was muttering something under his breath, soft words loud enough only for Kit to hear. Kit remembered that night outside of Cornwall when Ty had told him the words he would say to himself to calm his anxiety. He was self conscious that night, letting himself be vulnerable and trusting. He thought those were the words he must be whispering now, anxious for some unknown reason.

But he wasn't.

"Whisper, cloud, secret, highway, hurricane, mirror, castle, thorns..."

They were _his_ words _._ And somehow he had remembered them from so long ago.

He was trying to comfort him in the most Ty like way, gentle and unobtrusively. Kit turned to look at him in amazement that he would be trying to calm him, that he cared about him still somehow.

"Remember how I said I found you in the lake?" Ty asked, still whispering.

Kit nodded slowly.

"I was thinking of you so it portaled me to you. If you lose your concentration, if something happens, just think of me. Think of me and it will take you to me, Ok?" Ty shot him a nervous glance.

Kit felt his heart expand with love at those words and then painfully constricting as he tried to contain it. "Always, Ty." He whispered back.

Ty looked like he was going to say something back when one of the Centurions called out.

"Alright, everyone through the portal. Whose first?"

Ty walked up. "I'll go." He gave Kit one last glance before taking a step forward into the portal. Kit watched his figure disappear and fade, and Kit couldn't help but feel a small twinge of panic for him. He took a deep breath and prepared himself as he stepped in front of the portal, watching the green transparent air swirl around waiting for him.

All he had to do was think of Tiberius. That shouldn't be hard, he was always thinking of Ty, he thought to himself.

With a small smile, he stepped into the portal.

 **This is a little shorter then normal but it's been awhile since I updated, so hopefully this will do while I think of whats supposed to happen next lol**


	6. let Me Protect You

" _That pleasure that is at once the most pure, the most elevating and the most intense, is derived, I maintain, from the contemplation of the beautiful." -_ **Edgar Allen Poe**

Kit and Ty were sitting across from the head of the Scholomance Omand Monticlare's desk in his office. The room had a strange way of putting Kit on edge. Maybe it was because they had falsified information to get into the Scholomance, maybe it was because Monticlare was an intimidating man with a stern look. Or maybe it was because for whatever reason, Monticlare had decided it appropriate to decorate his office with hundreds of clocks, all of them a different shape and design, and all of them ticking down each second.

Omand stared down at the two, sizing them up and taping his fingers against the desk sounding like another clock with slightly bad timing.

"You may not know this, but generally we allow new Centurions to investigate the cases they have discovered during their trial." He paused for a moment thinking, his tapping syncing up with the clocks like an eerie metronome. "However you two have managed to stumble on a high profile case regarding the Blight."

Ty shifted slightly in his chair, Kit guessed he was annoyed at the insinuation that his findings were accidental rather then genius.

It was certainly something, Kit thought glumly.

"Furthermore, the matters concerning The Cold Peace, as I understand, may be a conflict of interest for you."

He was talking about Helen and Mark, he realized. He thought Ty couldn't be partial because of his brother and sister.

"They're just as much Shadowhunters as anyone else here!" Kit snapped, feeling his temper boil over in defense of the Blackthorns. "And you would be an idiot if you think they had anything to do with the Blight." Kit added before he stop himself. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ty lifting his chin up defiantly.

Omand leaned back in his chair. His eyes never left them, it was a little unnerving but Kit knew better then to look away, refusing to back down from the silent confrontation. Not that it mattered since Ty hadn't made eye contact with him once, though he was sitting up a little straighter after Kit's outburst.

"Hmm...Very well, I'm not here to pass judgment on the Blackthorn's affairs. As it is, you will be allowed to continue your investigation. However, you will not be granted the full solitary independence on these investigations. You will always be required to have another Shadowhunter, from a local Enclave, or Centurion present during any field work. You will still be able to use the resources here to research on your own during your free periods."

The Scholomance was as much of a school as it was anything else. Younger Centurions attend classes from senior members throughout the day, save for the few free periods they were granted. And even then they were expected to spend that time working on their personal investigations. Kit was starting to understand why so many Centurion's left after having mental breakdowns from the workload.

The two were silent in there seats.

"Well? You may leave now." He said ushering them out of the room.

Kit turned to Ty as Omand shut the door in their faces leaving them alone in the hall.

"I know you have questions, meet me in the library tomorrow. I have some things I need to look up first." He said glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.

"It's not about Liv-"

"11:00 am, library." Ty cut him off briskly, before heading down the corridor away from Kit.

Kit watched him go, feeling any warmth Ty had for him over the last twenty-four hours dissipate. He let out a sigh and made for his bedroom. After all there was nothing he could really do to stop Ty researching what he wanted in the library short from ripping any shady looking books from his hands.

And he figured there were probably alot of shady books here.

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It was late into the night and Ty was still sitting at a table in the library with a witchlight lantern lighting his work space. Ty rubbed his eyes as he forced himself to stay focused on the material in front of him. He had pulled a few books about different types of magic among different species and their identifiers. It was interesting subject matter, however his body was protesting against his desire to research, especially seeing as how he would need to be up early tomorrow.

He wished Kit was with him, he always seemed to fill him with excitement and energy. He had no doubt that he could have found a way to work through the night if he had him beside him. It was a relief that he came to the Scholomance with him. No, he shouldn't think that, it was dangerous to bring Kit into his plans. Of course, Kit who was selfless and brave would throw himself into any problem Ty had. Like he always did. Even when Kit first came to the institute Kit dedicated the rest of his life to the Blackthorns, and more specifically him. He probably hadn't even realized how selfless it was to shed away the last of his old identity as a Rook just to stay by his side.

But it was, and Ty would never let himself forget it.

The thought of Kit willing to do anything to stay with him should make him happy, but he just felt a cold dread of what might happen to Kit if the Clave found out what he was doing. He tried to tell himself that merely having Kit with him was enough.

Of course he knew that wasn't enough. He was never very good at lying, least of all to himself. He felt it everytime Kit was near, some sort of longing for something greater that he didn't know how to obtain. Not that it really mattered with the current state of things. To make things worse he seemed to be pushing him away when really he just wanted him closer.

Perhaps that was why he was trying to lie to himself, because it felt like agony otherwise.

Ty looked at the scattered mess on the table of papers and books and took a deep breath. Once he got Livvy back and Kit realized nothing bad would come of it….maybe then they could be together.

If Kit could find a way to forgive him.

Ty refocused on his work with new fervor.

Later in the early hours of the morning the Librarian would come in to find a dark haired Blackthorn asleep at a table, his head resting on top of a pile of papers.

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The Scholomance was large and grand in size, with lots of space and tall arches. It was carved into the side of the Carpathian mountains. The windows often were stained glass and the masonwork clearly was crafted almost religiously. It was obvious that even though the Scholomance had only reopened recently, it was clearly a place of great pride to the Nephilim back when it was open. The Scholomance was originally shut down as a sign of good faith when the first accords were signed since the Centurions predominantly were a force that investigated in matters of Downworld almost exclusively.

Apparently, the signing of the Cold Peace meant an elite group of racist was needed once more to harass all of downworld. Kit wondered not for the first time what the hell he thought he was doing here as he entered the library.

He checked in with the Librarian who pointed him in the direction of one of the private rooms Ty had reserved for him. He had to admit, it was pretty cool to have access to everything in the Scholomance without reserve. The only exception was if he wanted something from the Spiral Labyrinth which was up to warlock discretion. Even then a Centurion could appeal to the council, in which case the warlock representative would have to intervene.

Kit opened the door to the room closing it behind him, and was greeted with a sight that made it painfully clear why he was here.

Ty was lounging on the loveseat, his legs outstretched, one of his knees slightly had a book open in his left hand, his right resting on his knee. Altogether a very attractive pose, making him look unbearably inviting.

If he wanted to he could close the distance between them, run his hand under Ty's chin and tilt it up, and if Ty would let him he could climb ontop of him. He would be kissing him now, and then he would run his hands down Ty's chest and find his way under his shirt, feeling his back.

He could-

Kit swallowed.

"About the spell, it is a real spell, or at least a fragment of it." Ty said sitting up now.

Kit wished he wouldn't. He hadn't decided yet what he wanted to do, or at least he wanted to imagine what he might do a little longer.

"I could tell that much. It felt powerful." Kit's mouth was still feeling unusually dry.

Ty leaned over, closing his book. Even in this position, or any position for that matter, he was uncanningly beautiful to Kit.

He closed his eyes and tried to burn the image of him into his brain, willing that to be what he saw when he closed his eyes.

"The spell was from the Black Volume, one that I've suspected for awhile might be the one used to create the Blight."

Kit mulled this over. "That would make sense if it came from the Black Volume. Malcolm probably helped him when he was in Faerie.." Something dawned on Kit just then. "Wait, if the counter spell was also in the Black Volume..Thats why he captured Annabel.."

Ty flashed him the briefest of smiles, and Kit felt his heart stutter. "Exactly, I've also checked to see if this spell is recorded anywhere and found nothing. But we should also make an inquiry to the Spiral Labyrinth to make sure."

"I guess it won't be too suspicious, they would expect us to investigate the origin of the spell." Kit was still unsure though with the level of scrutiny Omand hinted that they would face.

"No one may even have to know about it." Ty said a little hesitantly.

"What do you mean?" Kit asked warily at his tone.

"We might be able to circumvent the official request and keep the Scholomance in the dark." Ty shifted a little in uncomfortably in his seat. "I know you may not like this, but Tessa Gray has access to the Labyrinth. She worked hard to find you, if you asked for her help im sure sure would."

Kit really didn't like the idea. He had nothing against Tessa, she save him after all, but he hated asking for favors. Especially from someone that reminded him of who everyone thought he was supposed to be. "I don't like it, but I'll do it. We need to take every opportunity we can." Kit sighed.

Ty looked relieved and walked over to the table and handed him a piece of paper and a pencil. Kit took it from after a moment and bit the bullet. Quickly he penned a short fire message to Tessa to contact him when she could about something urgent. It bursted into flames and disappeared.

Pushing the message out of his mind he focused on the good news.

"So we have a lead?" Kit felt his shoulders relax from tension he didn't notice he was carrying. "Remind me never to doubt you again."

"You doubted me?" Ty asked, his eyebrows shooting up.

"Not really, I was mostly just anxious. It was just frustrating not knowing." Kit scratched the back of his head feeling a little abashed.

"I know I asked you to do this with me before, but I didn't take into account how much danger that would put you in. I'm sorry Kit." And he really sounded like it.

"You don't have to apologize. I understand why your doing all this, even if I don't agree. I understand you still want to protect Livvy." Even from death, he thought.

"Not just Livvy, I'm trying to protect you too."

Kit felt a large lump form in his throat now. "Ty, you know I'm only doing all this to protect you too right?"

"I don't need you to protect me. I need my sister back." Ty said quietly.

At that, Kit finally exploded. "So what? We're both supposed to go behind each others backs because we're _protecting_ each other?"

Ty looked up at him in shock but Kit had one last question for him before he was done.

"Tell me, do you _feel_ protected?"

Ty just shook his head looking hopeless, his brilliant gray eyes somehow dulled.

"There's no other choice." He replied, his voice wavering slightly.

The words felt like a slap in the face to Kit who was so sick of all this. All the pining, the misconnections, the being scared to death for Ty who was being reckless and too stubborn to realize it. And he didn't even realize how reckless he was with Kit's heart, the one Kit would have carved it out of his chest and given it to Ty if he would have it.

"Fine, have it your way!" Kit said more coldly then he thought he could to Ty. Without even waiting to see his reaction he stormed out of the library, leaving him there alone.

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Being mad at someone you were in love with turned out to be much more complicated than Kit had originally thought it would be. The next two days the two of them hardly spoke to one another, but because they were still working on the investigation they were still spending alot of time with each other. Though, the whole time Kit couldn't make up his mind if he wanted to yell at Ty or kiss him. And of course Kit had no idea what Ty was thinking. He probably wasn't thinking of Kit much at all, he probably hadn't for along time.

Kit slammed another book down on the table letting his frustration out. A few papers flew off the table as a result. Ty stopped what he was writing and blinked.

"Sorry." He muttered. He probably shouldn't take out his anger on their research.

"It's alright." Ty answered before returning to his writing.

Kit noticed his left hand disappear under the table to fiddle with a pipe cleaner he had in his pocket. Kit ducked under the table to pick up the papers, feeling a little guilty.

He was making Ty nervous.

When he looked up he saw a familiar short red head escorted by Monticlare. Kit thought he was dreaming, expecting Ty to shake him awake and send him to bed looking at him in disappointment. However, when Clary Fairchild broke away from her escort and headed over to them, he decided he probably wasn't dreaming.

Clary walked up to them her red curls bouncing, the silver glint of a family ring around her neck. Kit stood up, and even Ty looked up, (which was a huge feat when he focusing on something) curious now.

"Hey!" Clary said, turning to wave away Monticlare who had been tapping his foot annoyed in the distance. He made a scowl, giving up and exited the library.

"What are you doing here?" Ty asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Well, I thought I'd come visit since I didn't get to see you two off at the Academy. It took some arm twisting but they finally agreed to make an exception to let me visit. You know, for being a hero of two wars and all." She said smiling brilliantly at the two."

Kit's eyes narrowed studying her face.

"Your not Clary." He said suddenly.

Both Ty and Not-Clary looked over at him in surprise.

He had only met Clary a handful of times, but he was still sure whoever this was, it wasn't her. There was something about this girl's eyes that seemed older, wise even. And even though she was speaking light heartedly there was something softer in her voice, and something almost maternal in her gaze.

The girl gave him a small smile and beckoned him to follow her. She moved ahead of him making her way to the corridor that Kit presumed was empty. Ty shot him a worried look as he moved to follow after her.

"Wait-"

Kit looked behind him. Ty had his hand extended towards him and was half out of his seat. He looked panicked and Kit felt his heart leap for him.

"I'll be ok, I promise." Kit said and he let every bit of warmth he had held back for him seep into his words. Yet, Ty still looked unconvinced.

"I'll meet you in your room tonight. Trust me?"

After a moment of hesitation he nodded. "I trust you."

Kit gave him a smile and went after her into the corridor.

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"I didn't expect you to see through me so quickly." She said twirling the Morgenstern family ring around her fingers. "I asked Clary for permission to pose as her after you sent me that fire message."

It was Tessa, of course. It was easy to forget that she was a shapeshifter never seeing the ability for himself before.

"I expect that this is important and something you want keep from the Clave?" She asked looking stern.

"Uh- yes, but I didn't expect you to come here in person." Kit said looking away to make sure no one was in the corridor.

"Well, I won't be making regular visits." She laughed. "Besides, it's been sometime since I saw you last. How are you?" She placed her hand on his shoulder, and Kit was surprised to so see her looking at him so fondly. It made him uncomfortable, like she expected something from him, while at the same time it made him want to cry like a small child.

"Not well I see." She observed. "Tell me what's wrong Christ- Kit." She corrected herself.

She sounded so much like a mother that Kit just broke down and told her everything, from Ty's plan to resurrect Livvy, to how the made it into the Scholomance. She listened quietly till he was finished without interruption. Kit wasn't even sure he was making coherent since as the words flooded out of him as he finally burst from keeping everything to himself.

"You're terrified for him." She said finally when he was done.

"Yes." He said letting out a long breath of relief.

"And your in love with him." She didn't ask, she didn't have to.

" _Yes._ " He closed his eyes tightly and saw the image of Ty he wanted to keep. And he prayed not for the last time that it wouldn't be one of the last peaceful images of him he would have to remember.

Tessa let out a sigh. "Herondales, you always love so recklessly with all your heart and once you've given your heart away your only hope is to earn their's in return."

Kit had thought about that sentiment, he knew he never would want anyone but Ty. He wondered if maybe his father was like that too, and maybe that's why there was no one after his mother.

Maybe he loved like that too.

Just maybe not him.

"And Blackthorns, they're another story. They just don't seem to respect the permanence of death."

"Are you saying this has happened before-before Annabel?" He asked. It was funny, now that he knew she was Tessa, she even looked more Tessa like.

Suddenly, she turned toward him and put both hands on his shoulder, her face turning startlingly grave.

"Yes, and there were consequences. There are always consequences, Kit, you _must_ stop him. Whatever it takes."

Kit opened his mouth to ask something but was cut off before he could get it out.

"Listen, I need to go but I'll look into that spell for you, and I'll keep tabs on Tiberius as well. If he starts making inquiries into anything suspicious I'll let you know."

"Thank you." Was all he could say. Her warnings were leaving him feeling a little shaken.

The warmth returned to her face again as she smiled at him again, but he wasn't paying much attention. All he could hear were her words.

 _This has happened before and ended badly._

 _He had been right to be afraid._

 _Ty, he's…_

"Thank you for telling me, I know all of this must be difficult for you. I can tell you love him very much." She said kindly.

"And Kit?"

Kit snapped out of it.

"Herondales have defeated worse odds."

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Kit was standing in front of Ty's bedroom late that night. He was about to knock to meet Ty like he had promised, when something stopped him. His fist hovered just a few inches from the door but something was pulling him back. If he went in there he would have to lie to Ty about Tessa's promise to keep an eye on him. If he told him what she had said about there being dangerous consequences Ty would argue and Kit would argue back. They would spend all night going back and forth breaking each other down, it would be agony.

He couldn't do that again.

And he couldn't lie to Ty either. It would be better if he didn't talk to him at all.

So, Kit turned his back to the door and walked back to his room trying not to think of the boy on the other side of that door waiting for him.


	7. I Lied

" _The death of a beautiful woman, is unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world"_

 _-_ **Edgar Allen Poe**

Ty stayed up late that night sitting in the dark. He didn't have windows in his room, however, he did have a fireplace that dimly lit the room. He watched as the flames danced creating shadows on his walls as the hours passed. It was late and sleep was precious at the Scholomance for the students who were adamantly spending most of their time studying, and Ty was no exception.

But Kit promised he would meet him, and so he waited.

Hours past and Ty waited patiently as he listened to imaginary conversations he could be having with Kit when he came. The silence that filled his room was a stark contrast for what he had been hoping for that evening. He wanted to fix the bridge that had grown between them though he had no idea how. All he could think of was to tell him, ' _I love you, please, please stay. I need you.'_

In his mind he would tell Kit whatever he wanted, drop his quest for Livvy and Kit would take ahold him, holding him tight and promise he would never leave.

That night he would spend the night with him, and they would be happy.

But Ty knew he couldn't give up on his sister.

And Kit never came that night.

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Ty awoke that morning to a cold revelation that had nothing to do with the freezing temperature of the room.

Kit didn't show up.

Ty leaped out of bed, he was still fully dressed. He didn't remember falling asleep but he must have considering that he didn't change into his sleepwear. He quickly crossed the stone floor to his wardrobe where he pulled out appropriate winter wear to layer up in. The Carpathian mountains were particularly cold year round because of the high altitude, during winter it was nothing less then freezing. Unfortunately, the various fireplaces found in the corridors and rooms did little to heat up the dark caverns thanks to the lake outside of the Scholomance and likely underwater channels running just underneath the floors.

Ty hastily fastned the buttons on his coat, a worry that had been nagging the back of his mind was becoming harder to ignore now.

It wasn't like Kit to break a promise to him, and Ty had fully believed him when he promised to meet him last night. Now Ty was forced to entertain the possibility that something had happened to him. He knew that it was likely it was Tessa who had come to see Kit, very few others could have possibly had the ability to disguise themselves as Clary Fairchild afterall.

However, the most likely scenario wasn't the only one, maybe Ty had made a grave mistake in letting Kit go alone with the visitor. Perhaps he had trusted Kit's judgment too much and let him walk into a trap.

Or maybe he had pushed Kit too far and he simply didn't want to see him anymore. The latter was more preferable but didn't seem much less painful at the moment thanks to it's likelihood.

Ty stared into his fireplace as he thought about this. The fire had long since died out, all that remained were small sparks of embers that were smothered underneath the ash.

It seemed poetic to Ty as he watched a few sparks spring loose and die as they hit the open air. As if it had a relevance to his situation that he didn't know how to put into words, or maybe he just didn't want to think about it.

He turned away from the dying fire and walked over to his desk to put together his notes for class. Class notes, notes on the Blight and pages pertaining to necromantic rituals were spread across the desk and mixed together. Ty began putting the papers in order when he came across a page he didn't recognize. Picking it up, he realized underneath it were a few more pages he didn't remember acquiring.

Curious, he studied the contents and what they contained alarmed him a great deal. The pages detailed necromantic rituals in nature and their disastrous results.

Ty's eyes stayed fixated on the pages, reading and re-reading them again and again. It was the dark energy required to complete the energy that had been the obstacle Ty had been working tirelessly to find a way to overcome. Enough energy is usually only accomplished by sacrificing a life, but of course Ty had been unwilling to do that.

He had been so sure that there was a way to work around that detail, but these pages said otherwise. Many of the cases listed were people who had tried clever means to work around sacrificing someone, relying on wild magic or strong conduits to summon enough methods proved to be the end of them, or anyone or thing around them, the ritual choosing to consume them rather than be cheated.

The ritual did not just suggest a sacrifice, it demanded it.

In the back of Ty's mind he was still trying to work out when he had come into possession of these papers. How was it he had failed to notice these before? Maybe he was just more tired than he originally thought. Either way this information posed a problem.

Kit had been right all along.

Ty hurried out of the bedroom, making his way down the corridor. It was daylight outside but the witchlight scones that decorated the walls did little to light up the place.

Opening the door to the classroom, he quickly scanned the room for a familiar blond head that he found already seated in the far corner of the room.

Relief flooded Ty when he saw him. He had no idea how worried he actually was that something had happened to him. Of course nothing had happened he was being ridiculous.

Ty took a seat a distance away from Kit, but close enough he could still see him at a glance.

But he _looked_ as if something had happened.

His eyes looked slightly bloodshot, and purple smudges under his suggested that he didn't get much sleep either. He was resting his head against the cold stonewall, his arms folded in front of his chest.

His anxiety for the other boy spiked once again as he observed him closing his eyes, almost drifting off to sleep.

What should he do? Tell him he was right and give up?

His hand reached into his jacket pocket for one of the toys Julian had made him but felt the cool metal of a thin chain. It was Livvy's locket that he had taken from her body the day of her funeral. Just before they lit her up turning her into nothing but dust and shadows.

He must have grabbed it off his desk subconsciously.

No, he had come so far. If he gave up now everything would have been for nothing. There might still be a way around the sacrifice, he could still find it.

But if something happened to Kit because of what he did, he didn't think he could survive it. He could see it now, Kit lying motionless before him, his eyes going blank and he would be forced to watch as his life slipped away. He wouldn't be spared like he was Livvy, he wouldn't deserve it. He would force himself to watch what he had done. Until it destroyed him, until-

Ty felt himself gag, and forced the picture out of his mind. He would keep him safe, it was not an option. Kit had given up everything for him, he wouldn't let him give his life too.

As long as he found a way to keep Kit away from him there was still a chance. He could take the risk.

He just needed the Black Volume.

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Ty was sitting in a room in the library he had reserved, fiddling with an oil lamp to try to preserve enough light to work by. He finally managed to save the wick from falling into the oil, and turned his attention elsewhere to the window pane beside him. Even if it wasn't dark he still would not have been able to see out due to the thick frost coating the window. He watched as the cracks formed on the ice, fissuring down the window as the heat from the lamp warmed up the window.

Classes were now officially over for winter break and most of the students were heading home to see their families. Ty and Kit where also expected to return to L.A. for Kit's first visit back in two years. Ty wasn't looking forward to telling him that plans had changed.

He heard the sound of the door click and he knew even though he wasn't expecting him who it was.

Kit remained standing there even after closing the door behind him.

"You never came." Ty simply said.

"No, I meant to, I just.." He tried.

"What?"

"I didn't want to have an argument with you." Kit got out.

There was silence as Ty thought about this, apparently they had imagined how last night could have gone much differently. "About what?"

Kit took a deep breath before saying, "The visitor was Tessa, but I'm sure you already knew that. I told her everything."

Ty felt the room drop a few degrees. So that explained where the research notes came from, not that it changed what it contained, or what he had to do now.

"Did she tell you anything that would help us with the blight?" Ty had to start wording what he said next carefully. He had no idea how to say what he needed too or when was an appropriate time.

Kit shook his head. "She doesn't know anymore then we do."

"Then we're at impasse and out of options. We need the Black Volume."

Kit looked momentarily stunned. "Ok..I mean, I agree I guess, but how are we going to get it? The Unseelie King has it and the Scholomance isn't going to give us permission to go to Faerie without some sort of supervision." He said regaining his composure.

"I've thought about that and I think I've found a solution. The Rosales heirlooms the cohort is desperate to get are Faerie work. I figured one of them may be able to take us into Faerie so I spoke with Diego…"

"Wait, you've already set this all up?"

"Yes, pay attention.." Ty chastised before continuing, and Kit, to his credit promptly shut up. "He relayed to me that his brother had such an artifact when he went on the run but recently passed it off to him for the time being since the cohort is closing in on him. He's agreed to let us use it when we're ready."

"How does it work?" Kit asked.

"That's the problem it's a bit unpredictable. Once we enter Faerie the artifact may bring us back any moment, so time is of the essence."

"If we do this and the Clave finds out we could get our Marks stripped." Kit reasoned thinking it through as he began to pace around the room.

"I understand if you don't want to do it but I have to at least. We can't let the cohort get the Black Volume first." Ty was tapping his fingers nervously on the desk.

"I never said I wouldn't go. I agree with you that we can't let the cohort get the book first but.." Kit bit his lip.

Ty waited for him to continue.

"I don't know if I can trust you to not use the book for you own reasons."

"You don't think you can trust _me_?" Ty balked remembering how Kit had tried to sabotage him time and again.

"No, I don't think I can Ty. You've lied to me for years about trying to bring Livvy back." Kit's voice sharpened.

"Because I knew you would try to stop me and you did."

"That's the thing, if you had told me when she died what you were planning, I probably wouldn't have. I probably would have helped you, it would have been a mistake but I was a stupid fifteen year old."

Ty let that sink in feeling it like a douse of cold water. It was something that he never wanted to hear. Proof that this was all his fault.

Kit had stopped pacing now and walked a few feet closer to where he was sitting.

"When she died I dreamed of her all the time but it was like a nightmare where she had turned into something like Annabel."

Ty flinched imagining his sister transforming into her murder.

"I was haunted by her because of guilt but I eventually let her go. But I get it, your still haunted by her and your failure to save her is your phantom. Your acting like this is a rescue mission but it's not Ty."

Something felt stuck in Ty's throat and he tried to swallow to clear it but to no avail. "I can't just turn my back on her." His voice came out rough and strangled.

"You're not-" Kit took another step forward and Ty stood up so abruptly he almost knocked over his chair.

"You lied to me. You promised you would always stay by my side." Ty deflected.

"I never lied, just because I'm not on your side doesn't mean I'm not here. After everything, I'm still here." His arms outstretched as he pleaded for him to understand.

 _I know,_ Ty thought sadly, _that's the problem._

"And I don't want to lie to you anymore either." He said suddenly, his voice coming out cold and distant even to his own ears. "I don't want you by my side anymore."

He watched as Kit opened his mouth to say something before closing it again and swallowing, clearly trying to figure out what to say.

The moment hung suspended in the silence.

"You said you loved me, that's what you said." Kit said quietly.

"I thought I did, but lately you've just been a nuisance." Ty said looking away from his face. "I'm bored of you." He added cruelly, and even though he was trying not to look at Kit's face he could see him crumple inwards at the words as if Ty had attacked him.

Kit staggered backwards and Ty couldn't stand being in that room any longer and watching what he had done, it was agony.

So, he simply just walked out the door leaving Kit there, knowing he would never forgive himself for this, even if it did save Kit's life.

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Kit felt the blood rush to his ears, his breathing sounded loud and rough. He felt Ty leave more then saw as he felt the shock of his words run through him.

 _I'm bored of you._

He had been afraid of that ever since he had fallen for Ty. No, if he was being honest since Ty had first taken an interest in him so long ago. He was afraid that once Ty had figured him out he would move on to more interesting things, leaving him alone again. He had craved his attention, finding his gaze on him thrilling, but he was also aware that the longer he stared the sooner he would discover everything there was to him. There was just no way he was interesting enough to keep someone like Ty's interest. It was his deepest fear he had kept even from himself, to scared to voice it, even to think it. When he had finally let go of Livvy he told himself he wouldn't let his insecurities get in the way of being with Ty if he wanted him.

He told himself it was a pointless fear.

Pointless, because it was inevitable.

So, if he already knew all that then why did it hurt so bad to finally hear it?

The answer was simple, because he just lost everything.

He brought his hand up to his face as he felt something trickle down his cheek. He was astonished to find his face wet. He _never_ cried. Even when his father was killed he let his anger replace his grief refusing to let the world crush him. But just a few words from Ty was enough to break him down into someone else. He had let Ty have all the power, he didn't even fight it, and here was:

Broken.

Kit didn't know how long it was till he left the room, until the feeling in his limbs came back. He didn't know where he was going, all he knew was that he wanted to do something mindless, something reckless.

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The door closed with a small click behind him. Ty felt for the door behind him as he felt the room sway and give way underneath him. He slid down the door, casting his hands out letting the movement try to anchor him as everything ebbed and flowed, reverberating into his core. Closing his eyes he only saw one thing, Kit standing there alone as he walked out he door. It wasn't helping, but he couldn't get rid of the image either.

Tiberius' world fell into darkness as he sat there on the cold stone floor. He wasn't sure how long he had stayed there trying to will himself to be ready for the world that wasn't going to wait for him. When he was finally able to put his despair in the background it was extremely late, however he wasn't tired as he might have expected but filled with nervous energy.

Enough time had passed, he should talk with Kit about leaving for Faerie as soon as possible. If he still decided to go with him that is.

With a few deep breaths he left his room in search of Kit, feeling the tension in his body like a live wire.

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Diego sat in a chair in his room reading his childhood copy of Grimm's fairy tales he had brought with him to the Scholomance. Most shadowhunters had little interest in mundane literature besides the classics, but the Rosales always had a soft spot for fairy tales. It had been a long time since he revisited these stories but recent events were making him feel a little nostalgic.

When Tiberius had come to him asking about an heirloom to enter Faerie undetected, his first instinct was to deny the existence of any such things. Of course, that would have been pointless, Tiberius clearly already knew the answer and any such denial was not going to sway him. He mostly agreed to help him out of a favor for Christina, though he was sure she would probably kill him if she knew, but he had an even more important duty to stop the cohort and Ty had a point.

He had insisted at first to accompany them to the Land Under the Hill, but Tiberius had a rebuttal for that as well, Diego who was essentially engaged to the cohort, would be noticed missing and had the most influence to deter anyone who may become suspicious of their whereabouts. He was at aloss of how to argue, though his gut told him he should. But these were not children anymore he reminded themselves, they're Shadowhunters, even more they were Centurions, accepted as one of the elites. He had no right to dissuade them from doing their best to defend the future of Nephilim and the Shadow World alike, and he knew how personal this battle had become for the Blackthorns.

As Diego reflected on what he had agreed to, a small knock on the door had him looking up from his book in confusion.

"Yes?" Diego answered, shooting a nervous glance at the artifact on his bed that was still left out.

"It's Ty." A serious voice said from the otherside of the door.

"Oh." Diego said a little blankly. "Come in."

Ty opened the door, his eyes scanned the room his delicate features scrunched in concern.

"Have you seen Kit?" He asked his eyes briefly flickers over the artifact and finally coming to rest back just above Diego's shoulder. He had learned that Tiberius rarely made eye contact, and though he wasn't expecting it, it always gave him a sense of uncertainty at what the younger boy

was focused on or if he was paying attention to him at all. He had never thought about the importance of something as insignificant as eye contact was before and wondered what aversion Tiberius had to it. Perhaps he found it unsettling or had other things more interesting to focus on? Or perhaps he simply didn't like socializing and cared not for it's etiquette?

"What?" Diego started dumbfounded. "I mean he's not back yet of course, it's too early for that, but when he is I'll let you know…." He trailed off as he saw the boy's body go visibly riged, the color from his already pale face completely drained and replaced with a light sheen of green. For a wild moment Diego thought he might be sick.

Alarm bells rang off in Diego's head. "By the Angel... he didn't tell you?" He whispered, shocked at himself more than anything. Kit's grim face when he came to Diego telling him the plan had changed, he had tried to to get more of information from him but he just deferred the questions with a tense shake of the head. He should have known something was wrong, but what reason would he have to go to Faerie alone without even informing his best friend of his intentions?

Tiberius' eyes rested on the small glowing artifact, shining brightly like a small star - that's when he lurched forward.

Diego barely reacted quickly enough to jump in front of him and grab him, trying to pull him back. "Tiberius don't!"

"Let go of me!" Ty snarled, fighting back with surprising strength for his lithe body.

He was struggling furiously under Diego's hold with little restrained, making him actually afraid that the young Blackthorn might really hurt him as he barely dodged an elbow to his abdomen.

"If you go in after him you'll both be lost! It's been hours you won't find him, it would be impossible to track him!" Diego tried to reason.

Tiberius, turned his head and this time did meet his eyes with a glare so cold, his seraphic features contorted into so much rage that stunned him. "I am going after him. Now, _let me go!_ "

"But..you have no gear.." He tried weakly, feeling his grip on him slip.

Ty took the opportunity and whirled out of his grasp, and turned to face him his hand outstretched. "There's no time for that, give me your weapons."

Diego hesitated for a moment staring at the usually quiet calculating boy turned fierce and reckless, burning with some intensity.

Desperation _,_ Diego realized. He wasn't angry, he was _scared_.

There would be no rationalizing with him, he was beyond that. Something had clearly spiraled him into a panic, and Diego had a pretty good guess at what, or should he say who.

Wordlessly, he crossed the room and handed his weapons belt to him. "There's just a short sword and mostly throwing knives, I hope that's alright." He said as he watched him clasp the belt around his waist, lacking any sort of protective gear.

"Perfect." He said as he abruptly turned towards the bed and grabbed the artifact and disappeared as Diego watched helplessly.

Diego stared in silence at the place he had allowed both boys to disappear into a land full of enemies.

Not just Christina, the whole Blackthorn clan was going to kill him.

 **Looks like asking for Tessa's help might have backfired...Silly Kit are you a YA protagonist or not? You dont ask for help from adults! Nonsense!**

 **Alright guys looks like we are finally going somewhere. These next few chapters should be interesting.**


	8. Riddles of Blood and Fate

" _Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality."_

- **Edgar Allen Poe**

Kit had been walking for miles, all he could hear was the pounding in his head pushing his thoughts mercilessly away. His body was aching and he was on the verge of collapse. There was nowhere he trusted to rest, no water source that was safe to drink from. Certainly there was no food that was safe in Faerie.

He was beginning to think that just maybe, he had made a mistake coming here on his own.

But then again what did it matter if he was poisoned by the water, enchanted by the food or died from exhaustion?

What did anything matter now?

Kit stood on the foothills of a large mountain range. Brambles and thickets covered the forest floor, bright red thorns wrapped around the trees.

He had no idea where he was or how he was going to find the Unseelie Court or what he was going to do when he found it.

He decided to head into the mountains, it would at least provide him with coverage and the thorns would slow down any pursuers. He pushed through the thicket, his gear was the only thing keeping him from being shredded by the thorns and brambles. He was trekking uphill, the coverage from the trees keeping him in the shade. He heard the trickling of the stream and made his way to the creek, half mad with thirst and despair, he was ready to take his chances and take a drink.

That was when he saw the thick blood that flowed through the water bed, thick and coagulated in lumps sifting downstream, pink bubbles surrounding the surface around the rocks.

Well he wasn't going to drink from that he thought, staring into the bloodstream. Kit blinked and thought he saw an ear float by.

"Little angel in the shadows." A voice called from the tree tops.

Kit swiveled looking in the branches for the source of the voice. A few branches snapped around him but when Kit turned to look there was nothing there.

A small black cat walked past him, moving underneath the thorn bushes with ease. It looked like an ordinary house cat until it lept for a tree just in front of Kit, transforming in midair. Now the creature that was once a cat sat utop of branch looking quite pleased with himself. It looked something like a lemur, if a lemur had a mane, rabbit like ears and pitch black fur.

Kit knew instantly what the creature was, a phooka, a fey spirit of mischief. He had dealings with phookas before, they weren't usually dangerous as long as you played their games, but they were annoying.

"Let's have a riddle shall we?" It said.

"I don't want to hear-"

The phooka cut him off,

" _A promise of power that only blood can take_

 _When the Land Under the Hill home will make_

 _When a liar's love upholds a secret deal_

 _He brings haste to a betrayal made real_ " He chanted.

Kit frowned, a betrayal made real didn't sound good. "That's not a riddle." He said.

The phooka lounged out on the branch and snapped a small twig and began picking his teeth with it. " Is it not? Do you know the answer then?"

"No, and I don't care." Kit said crossing his arms wishing the faerie would just leave him alone.

"But it's about you!" His yellow eyes flashed as he looked at him.

Kit thought about the riddle, "nobody loves me." He said bitterly.

The phooka gave him a wide grin, exposing lots of tiny pointy teeth. "You may find you have more love then you know what to do with, Shadowhunter."

"I'm guessing you want something from me now?"

The phooka scampered up the tree excitedly, racing around the tree trunk and then hopped back down to the creek. "Yes! Play the game little angel! What will you repay me with?" The phooka bent down to drink from the creek, when he lifted his head back up his fur was matted with blood. He smiled again, this time his teeth dripping with blood and Kit was reminded that it was probably in his best interest to not get on the fey's bad side.

"Will it be a precious trinket? Or perhaps some golden yarn?" His eyes flashed again, the brightest thing besides the red thorns in the darkness of the forest.

Kit plucked a hair from his head, "No yarn but how about golden hair?"

The phooka jumped up excitedly, and ran in circles before running over to take the hair from him.

"Oh, I think this will do nicely." He said examining the hair, and twirling it in his paw.

Suddenly his ears perked up, the left one twitching, and with that he disappeared leaving Kit alone next to a beautiful babbling brook of death and an ominous riddle about his future.

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He wasn't sure how much time had passed but he was sure he needed to find somewhere to rest and soon. He had been awake for over twenty four hours and at this point he wouldn't be surprised if it turned out he was hallucinating the entire journey into Faerie.

He would give anything to make the last twenty four hours a bad dream…

He had lucked out that the only obstacle he had so far was an annoying phooka, but hopefully he was pleased enough with the strand of hair he had given him and wouldn't cause anymore trouble…

If he hadn't been so tired, if he hadn't been trying to stay away from his own thoughts maybe he would have noticed the warning signs of a spell. He might have noticed the sweet smell in the air so often accompanied by faerie magic, the cold and sudden shift in the wind and most of all the dead silence.

But Kit didn't notice any of these things until it was too late, until an alarm in the back of his head went off. Some sort of hidden instinct that told him something was wrong. He stopped in his tracks, finally catching on that something was wrong. The air seemed unnaturally still, as if the whole world was watching and holding its breath. He watched as a small squirrel like creatures with tiny antlers suddenly made a sharp vere to the right. A fallen leaf bounced off the air as if hit by an invisible force field.

Something tugged at him in the back of him mind as if to say, _behind you, look behind you._

He turned around and standing in the forest, in the middle of the path he had just walked through was a woman.

"There you are." She said as if to say, _at last_.

Her eyes crinkled as she smiled at him. It was a warm smile like someone who was welcoming someone home would have. It made Kit uneasy.

The woman had long blonde hair curling down to her waist, her eyes were large and bright, her eyelashes fanned her cheekbones when she blinked.

She looked familiar, like a dream he had long forgotten.

She took a step towards him and Kit responded by placing his hand on his weapons belt. She stopped looking troubled at his reaction.

"What spell did you cast?" Kit demanded

"So you noticed." She said sounding pleased with him for some reason.

"Of course I noticed."

She just smiled that warm smile. "I only wished to talk with you Kit."

"How do you know my name?" He freed a knife from his belt, but hesitated, he didn't want to fight her.

"I would know you anywhere." She said gently. "You're my son."

Kit felt himself stiffen as his whole world shifted, her voice, her face, they were so familiar. Was she really…?

"I waited so long for you, now you're finally here!" She started towards him but he held his knife out.

"Stop!" He yelled. She couldn't be his mother, he didn't have a mother. Of course he knew that he must have a mother somewhere but it couldn't be…

He thought of Hypatia Vex and the look she had when he said he didn't know who his mother was. His father telling him he was his greatest secret. Why couldn't this woman be his mother, a voice in his head asked.

Her lips pouted as if he had hurt her but she didn't come any closer.

He had to think, and that was proving to be really hard when he was so exhausted. He couldn't deny there was a resemblance, the shape of her eyes, the high cheekbones, even the curve of their eyebrows. But then again he also bore a strong resemblance to Jace and they weren't even closely related. Besides, this woman was definitely fey, which would make him fey..

It was only recently that he realized his father might not have been truthful about his mother but he never stopped to think what that might mean.

"If you are my mother." He said slowly, testing the words on his tongue. The words _my mother_ felt foreign. "Then why did you leave me." Resentment seeped into his words as a rush of abandonment welled up inside of him. He wasn't sure if his anger was directed at her, a mother he never knew better to miss or a father who died on him, leaving him utterly alone.

She let out a soft sigh, "Try to understand, I had to, to keep you safe. This story is long but I wish to tell it to you if you would let me." She waited patiently for his answer, her large eyes pleading.

He wanted to tell her to forget it, that this wasn't real but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was telling the truth, she was a faerie afterall.

Maybe he was just tired.

When he didn't say anything, she decided to take this as encouragement to tell her story. "Everything you need to know happened long before you were born, before even I was born. And you must know these things because despite my efforts you are still in danger."

Kit started to ask what he was in danger of when she held out a hand to silence him.

"This will be long love, and we have little time."

Kit flinched at the words but she didn't seem to notice.

"Do you know why the symbol of the Unseelie court is a broken crown?" She asked.

why the symbol of the Unseelie Court is a broken crown?"

"Because the King sees himself as the rightful ruler of both courts, everyone knows that." He replied.

"And he's not entirely wrong young one." She said with another wealth of affection that made him uncomfortable.

"The courts were once one, the king and queen ruling together until they were not. You see, there was another who sought the queenship. The sister of the queen. She fought hard to undermine her sister in anyway she could find. Including seducing the king and even bareing him an heir. The queen would not accept an heir that was not hers and the courts became split."

Fragments of stories Kit had heard at the Shadow Market resurfaced his mind, something about the eldest son and Shadowhunters.

"But this son was not long for the world and was killed by Shadowhunters."

Right of course he was, Kit thought remembering the story now.

"Left with no heir, and a broken crown the king sought the help from the god Manann."

"Like the Riders of Manann?" Kit asked remembering the bronze warriors that had tried to kill him, Ty and Livvy.

She gave him a sad smile. "Yes the Riders are his children, but not his only children. Manann had foretold that a great warrior would be descended from him, as a bargain when this warrior came into being he would give the king his aid. In return Manann asked for the kings only daughter. Without the knowledge of the queen the king had made the arrangements for his daughter to be spirited away to Manann's realm. Together they would have a daughter, and that daughter was me." She paused letting the information sink in.

His mind was racing, he was so exhausted and this was so much information he didn't think he could keep up. He must have been hearing things, was she really saying she was the daughter of a god? And if she was his mother then…

"But I fell in love with a human, a Shadowhunter in hiding. His name was Roland." Her face turned to that of an ancient dispare,of a loss that never healed and still carried with her.

"But that's not.." He started, his brain finally catching up.

"No, it was not the man you know as Johnny Rook. In truth you were born long before him."

Kit felt his legs give out from under him then, next thing he knew he was kneeling on the ground. What was she saying? His father wasn't really his father?

When he looked up she was next to him, kneeling beside him.

"The spell is draining you, I'm so sorry."

He ignored her, he didn't care about the stupid spell right now. "How is he not my father? I remember him _raising_ me!"

"The Riders, my very own brothers and sisters were sent after me. We stayed hidden for as long as we could, but I knew it couldn't't last. The Riders always found their quarry, and they would kill you both when they did. So I took you with me to a land where time held still, until we could return."

Kit shook his head, " Faerie doesn't hold still, it just moves differently."

"There are many different realms held in connection to Faerie, your world is one, the land of the dead is another for example." She cupped his face and he was too tired to protest.

His vision was starting to get blurry. What was this spell doing to him?

"I had to borrow some of your energy, I didn't realize you would be so exhausted." She explained as if reading his mind. "But you did not age and I realized we would always be in danger until things were made right. I decided to come back so you could grow up but.." The pain returned to her face again. "Time moved faster than I thought, your father had long since died. But his line still survived and that is when I found Johnny Rook."

So many questions went through Kit, did his father always know he wasn't his son? Did he even love him at all?

"Although you grew up, the Riders still continued to look for us, and the Unseelie Queen as well will use you if she can."

"There isn't an Unseelie Queen." He wasn't sure why he was arguing this over everything else she was telling him. Maybe he just wanted to be right about something.

"The Queen's sister, the king's consort is very real Kit. Never forget the Queen of Air and Darkness is your enemy. She will stop at nothing, she will deceive those who wish to help you."

"You mean like you?" He challenged.

Her face became very still then, and Kit knew this was important but his consciousness was slipping.

Kit was silent as he took this in, staring at the grass. It was so green, everything in Faerie seemed so vibrant. "What do you want from me?" He asked his voice coming out deadpan from exhaustion.

"I want my son to be safe. I want us to no longer have to hide." She urged, lifting his chin so his eyes would meet hers.

Johnny Rook may not have been his father, but he did teach him some valuable lessons. One of them was how to read a person and how to recognize a liar. Looking into her eyes now he could tell how deeply she meant what she was saying.

"How would we do that?"

"You are the heir of a god, the prince to both courts and seed of a powerful Shadowhunter family."

Kit felt his head whirl. His mother was here and she wanted him to rule the Faerie Courts and even the Clave?

"Herondales aren't important anymore they're only two left ." He challenged.

"Blood is never nothing." She said.

Her words echoed what Alec Lightwood had told him years ago.. " _Your a Herondale, that will never be nothing."_

"The Clave's authority is finally waning, a civil war amongst Nephilim is coming and a power vacuum will be opened."

"So you think they will want a Faerie prince to lead them? I don't think you understand Shadowhunters."

"We have no choice, if you do not come with me they _will_ kill you. You will never be safe until you reunite the Courts."

"I can't. I can't just can't go with you." She couldn't really believe he would just stay in Faerie could she?

She looked him hard in the eyes, studying him. "The people you love will die protecting you." A chill ran down his spine.

If she was looking for the right thing to say she found it. He remembered the Riders and how easily they out powered them, how they almost killed Ty.

She stood up and glided a few feet to the side and brought up her hand, with a flick of her wrist opened what looked like a portal.

Except that it wasn't.

It was like glass reflecting images from somewhere far away. Kit had seen scrying magic before but never without using a reflective surface like a mirror or water.

The image stirred and then smoothed out as it focused on an all too familiar figure.

A shot of adrenaline raced through his system, waking him up. Suddenly he was much more awake.

It was Ty, and he was here.

His heart dropped into his stomach. He hoped Ty would stay behind and let him take the risk of coming to Faerie alone.

Why did he have to come after him?

"He is beautiful, I understand why you're so fond of him." She said admiringly, like a lion would appreciate her food. "Such unusual coloring. Far too pretty to be kept by Nephilim."

Kit felt his stomach twist, he wanted to break the image and keep her from leering at him. Her face was no longer kind and innocent like it had been. It seemed contorted as she tried to veil her disgust, but it wasn't working, Kit could tell she _hated_ him. She was talking about him like he was a rare species of bird she would like to possess, instead of human being he might love.

"Would you like to keep him?" She asked suddenly. "Pretty things like him are never appreciated by Nephilim like they are by us, wouldn't you agree?" She continued oblivious to the fact that Kit's hands had balled into fist.

"Come with me, you can even keep him as a consort and keep him safe." She urged, her face turning back to unmasked vulnerability as she looked at him.

But she had finally gone too far.

Kit struggled to his feet, she reached out to help steady him but he knocked her hand away from him. "Don't touch me, and don't you _dare_ touch him." He snarled swaying as he stood. It was a miracle he could stand but he had rage fueling him now.

She recoiled. "A Shadowhunters love can only disappoint you, he-"

"He doesn't love me!" He snapped, closing his eyes. It hurt to say, but he had to get her to stop talking or he was going to lose it. "And I don't care who you are, I'm not interested." He opened his mouth to say something else when the floor rose up to meet him, his voice lost in the darkness. Arms were around him, but he was beyond the ability to move as his body began to shut down.

"Little one, now is not the time for sleep. I cannot protect you here."

She whispered, and it was like a lullaby easing him into sleep.

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Ty was walking through a blue forest as he scanned his surroundings trying to discern anything at all that might lead him to Kit. The forest was beautiful, cerulean blue grass and leaves decorated the ground and canopies. The tree bark itself was a complementary white, over all it gave the scenery a peaceful atmosphere. A soft breeze passed through the trees carrying with it leaves Ty could even swear he heard bells chiming in the distance, he hoped he wasn't getting close to a village.

Ty had studied the geography of Faerie, though he had no idea how helpful that would prove giving the lands nature of changing. Besides all of that, he had no way of knowing where Kit was.

Ty was frantic, if he wasn't so determined to find Kit he would fall apart. He wished he could block out the voice in his head reminding him that this was his fault.

 _I did this, he's gone because of what I said..._

He kicked the leaves aside on the ground, looking for footprints.

Nothing

 _If he dies It will be my fault…_

Ty scanned the treetops in search for wind chimes but the sound just shifted in the wind. He decided it was just the magic of the forest and looked elsewhere.

 _He will never know that I lied, he'll die thinking I didn't want him…_

Ty stopped, his head bent low as if he had taken a blow to the head as the thoughts berated him.

 _Stop!_

He stood in the middle of the forest trying to get a handle on himself when something appeared just in front of him patiently waiting for his attention.

Ty looked over at the creature, it was phooka, pitch black fur and glowing golden eyes. It looked up at Ty excitedly, it's tail swishing in anticipation.

"What of a riddle little Shadowhunter?"

Before Ty could even answer the phooka had climbed and lept onto Ty's shoulder, and it was only his acclimation to animals jumping on top of him that had spared the phooka's life.

On his shoulder the phooka transformed into a black parrot and delivered a riddle:

" _Little dove caught in a thorn_

 _Another liar has left him worn_

 _Many seek to have his heart_

 _But where shall he place his hearth?_

 _If he however should perish_

 _What would it matter what he had cherished?"_

The phooka finished and transformed back, hoping back down excitedly in front of Ty.

"You're talking about Kit?" He more exclaimed then asked, working out the first lines of the riddle.

A dove had to be a reference to Herondale.

The phooka gave him a toothy grin, and for the first time Ty noticed the blood on his fur and teeth. Ty hoped he had nothing to do with why Kit was at risk of….perishing.

His mind kicked into overdrive.

"You are much quicker than the other one." The phooka said not sounding too pleased that his fun had ended so quickly.

Ty ignored him, running the lines of the riddle over in his head. "Caught in a thorn.." He muttered, "He's in the Thorn mountains!" Ty looked over to his right where he could see the mountains standing tall, they weren't so far away, he could run and-

A rumbling echo came from behind him as he started to sprint towards the mountains.

He turned to see the phooka changing in size becoming massive, his voice coming out deep and threatening.

" **Are you cheating me Nephilim**?" he rumbled, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Ty had completely forgotten to make a bargain in his haste. "No, of course not! What would you have in return?" He asked hoping to palacete the phooka before he finished his monstrous transformation.

The phooka immediately popped back into his original size and shape. "Just a strand of hair I think should suffice!" He said cheerily, his voice back to normal again.

Ty knew there was alot someone could do magic wise with just a strand of your hair, but he wasn't in a position to argue. All he cared about was getting to Kit as soon as possible, he could deal with whatever consequences came later. Ty plucked a single strand from his head, just as soon as he extended his hand to offer it, the phooka leapt up snatching the strand greedily.

"Very nice indeed, Nephilim."

His voice changed slightly again, not dark and menacing like before but more intelligent, _older_ sounding.

Ty didn't bother with the details, as soon as he was sure the phooka was satisfied he took off towards the Thorn Mountains.

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Ty's pants were shredded after pushing himself through the brambles and thorns, it was a nightmare but Ty was too scared to slow down. He didn't know what the rest of the riddle meant but he knew two things for certain, Kit was here and he was in trouble. At least he was able to minimize the damage by finding a path following close to the creek. He had been hiking uphill for at awhile now when he finally came to a small gully.

A wall of thorns seemed to have risen up out off the ground to form a wall at the end of the gully.

Ty's heart started pounding as he looked closer at the thorns.

Swiftly he jumped down and started walking towards the thorns, his vision falling away into tunnel vision as the view came into focus.

Kit was strung up in the the middle of the thorns. He wasn't moving, his body sagging as the thorns struggled to hold him up, wrapping around his body, cutting into his gear, wrists, and neck.

Ty started running.

He dropped the knife he was holding to cut away the brush and soon he was standing right in front of Kit reaching for his face. A million things was running through his head, how did he get here? Did someone leave him here? Was this magic?

He had cuts all over his body, the thorns digging in deep in the areas Kit's skin was bare. His wrist and neck coated in red, but if he felt any pain his face didn't show it. He looked peaceful just as he might if he were asleep or...

Ty moved his hand down Kit's neck checking for a pulse.

Nothing.

Panicking, he placed his head on his chest listing for his heart, moving his hand to check his wrists ignoring the blood smearing on his hand.

Nothing.

He was dead.

Ty stumbled back words, his hand leaving his face letting his head fall back and Ty saw an image of Kit when they first met him. The angry, lively look on his face when Ty held a knife to him, though he knew it didn't show, even then Kit took his breath away. That image was chased by another just before Kit had kissed him for the first time on the training room floor. His hair falling in his face, the hesitation in his eyes as tried to be so careful with Ty, the warmth and feel of their bodies pressed together. He glanced at Kit's body now and he saw one final image, one that will haunt him for the rest of his life, the last time he saw Kit alive, hurt and shock on his face as Ty threw him away...

 _No, no, no, no, NO!_

Ty's knees buckled and he collapsed, his hands digging deeper into the dirt.

His tears were blinding his vision, as he started gasping, the air completely stolen from his lungs. As soon as he got the air back he knew he screamed, but it sounded far away. He had fallen inside himself and it was as if the world had turned to darkness. Pain rocketed through him causing him to spasm when he tried to get up. He couldn't look at Kit, lifeless and gone, he couldn't do it, his body wouldn't let him.

Ty didn't know how long it took him to realize he was surrounded, certainly longer then it should have.

Several Faerie knights surrounded them. They were all wearing that light armour embellished with flora and intricate designs. One of The faeries had long black hair that shimmered blue in the light with crystal blue eyes that made him look blind. Another one had Small horn like protrusions from his forehead.

"You were right in thinking he wasn't alone lyan." A faerie with a face that very much resembled a leaf said.

"Indeed the bait has proven quite useful." The one with the unsettling eyes nodded.

 _Bait?_ The word jarred Ty's attention to the men. They had strung Kit's body up as _bait_?

He pulled himself up into a standing position before he even realized what he was doing, his body acting of its own accord, his hands already going to his weapons belt.

He would kill them for this.

"Arleam, cut him down." Lyan said jerking his head towards Kit.

The Faerie with horns began cutting away at the thorns holding Kit and catching him as he fell, Kit's head lolled lifelessly by the impact of falling onto the Faerie.

"Don't touch him!" Ty yelled, freeing a knife, but before he could throw it the two knights from behind him grabbed his arms pulling him back. The sudden rough contact felt like myriad of sharp needles against his skin.

"You will stand down Nephilim, you have already lost." One of them growled in his ears, the sound loud and piercing.

Ty flinched, jerking his head away from the Faerie. His eyes followed Kit as the Faerie Arleam moved Kit's body carelessly as he shifted him into any easier position to be carried, another wave of rage over Ty sending him into a fury.

"This one is troublesome," The leaf face one holding Ty complained, "Must we really keep him alive?"

Ty struggled, wishing he could just get to Kit and keep these monster from touching him ever again. The Faerie to his left pulled the knife from Ty's hand and held it to his throat, a small trickle of blood fell from the point as it broke the skin. "There is no need for struggle, you will join your friend soon enough." He said.

"The Queen will wish to speak with him about his intrusion into our land." Lyan said addressing the other Faerie's concern.

"I hardly see the point. Angel's are liars I doubt this boy will prove any differently."

"Perhaps he is a liar, but that is for our Lady to decide." He said, and the words were final as the Faerie knights straightened up to leave.

As they prepared to leave Lyan spared a glance at Tiberius who was staring defiantly at Lyan and Arleam as if he wanted nothing more then to see them dead.

Lyan turned towards him. "You're glare is filled with hatred yet you refuse to set your gaze upon me?" He regarded Ty curiously. "Would you meet my eyes if I told you that I gave the order that decided your friend's fate?"

Ty's eyes widened, and he gave another hard tug against his captures restraints, pushing the knife deeper into his skin, but still he refused to meet his eyes.

"The Queen may find you interesting indeed. Arlace, make sure he doesn't injure himself before we get to court." He said to the knife wielding Faerie who had to pull back the knife to make sure Ty didn't accidently get stabbed his struggle.

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Ty didn't pay attention to the time or where they were, he hardly cared where they were going. His attention was set on Kit as his body hung limply in the Faerie's arms, completely helpless, and beyond anyone's help.

Ty's mind seemed to have shut down, unable to process the pain of Kit's dead body in front him, so he just stared at the boy he loved as he was dragged along and hoped Arlace was right and he would meet a fate like Kit's soon enough.

What did being alive matter when the two people he loved most in the world were dead? He didn't need necromancy if he joined them, wherever they were.

After all, this was his fault, Kit shouldn't have to face the consequences alone. Maybe he couldn't save him, but at least he could die with him.

At long last the Faeries came to a stop in the caverns Ty didn't remember entering, into a large hollowed out entry way of the court.

And Ty was shoved to his knees before the Seelie Queen.

 **This chapter took ALOT of thought, and im not gonna lie I'm nervous about how this chapter is going to be recieved. So if you got any feedback or any encouragement would be appreciated.**


	9. We Lay With Ghosts

" _There are some secrets which do not permit themselves to be told."_

- **Edgar Allan Poe**

The Queen was exactly as Ty would have pictured her if anyone had ever asked him to. She was all beauty and regal elegance in a way that was unearthly, maybe even a little disturbing. She had long deep red hair that fell in ringlets to her waist and unusual sky blue eyes.

The court was made up of tall circular arches leading out into a beautiful garden. It was finally night and the garden was full of luminous lunar planets and moths, blooming under twilight. The floor was made of brown mason work and a light sprinkle of snow drifted from the ceiling, lightly covering the floor. Flowers and small plants near the throne were frosted over and a pale lacey vale covered the throne.

It was beautiful, but something about the wintery display bothered Ty somehow. Looking at the queen again in her pale simple gown, even she seemed slight, her cheeks sunken and gaunt, but she smiled and it transformed her face as if she was hoping to hide her fragile appearance.

Arleam stepped forward setting Kit's body on the ground holding him up by the collar of his gear, while his head rolled to the side like a ragdoll.

Ty gritted his teeth.

If he could grab Arlace's arm and flip him, he could take his knife and incapacitate the guard next to him before he could get to his weapon. Then all he had to do was use one of his remaining knives to take down Arleam and sprint to Kit. The chances of success were minimal but Ty didn't care.

The Queen's smile slipped as she stared at Kit, then suddenly in one swift motion she left her throne.

Ty froze.

In three long strides she was in front of Kit. After a pause, carefully, as if she was considering him she reached out and lifted his face. Her eyes bore into him as she took him in, and then let his head fall back. She brought her hand back up and motioned with her finger as if gesturing for Kit to come forward. Just as soon as she did Kit's head shot up, his eyes blown wide, he gasped for air, his chest was heaving heavily as he greedily tried to take in as many breathes he had lost.

Ty's heart stopped, "Kit!" He yelled forgetting the knife to his throat for a moment.

The guards holding Kit almost reared back in surprise.

"This one seems rather….resistant towards our magic." The Queen said studying him.

She continued to stare at him thoughtfully as he panted, he was shivering too, as if his body was going through shock.

Slowly he lifted his head up to look up at her.

"Lovely aren't they?" She said seemingly addressing the court, but no one responded. Everyone seemed in shock at Kit's revival.

She knelt down, studying his face. "It is not unsurprising that even the Fair Folk have been known to be taken in by the beauty of Angels. However disastrous the results."

The look she was giving him was curious, the words as well, but what Ty found the most unusual was Kit's reaction, or lack thereof. Usually Kit hated not getting the last word, but now he simply returned her stare as if was afraid to say anything else.

"Your dying!" Ty said suddenly, and at last she broke her gaze away from Kit's. She stood up tall and strided to the middle of the room.

"The court reflects the state of the Seelie lands, and you are bound to your land. If your land dies you die." He said as the realization dawned on him.

She was deadly quiet for a moment, deciding what to do with them.

"Aren't you clever, young Blackthorn."

"Make a deal with us." Ty forced himself to look into her eyes. He wished he hadn't, they were eerie without pupils and they seemed to say to much, eons of endless days. Looking into her eyes was like trying to find the edge of the universe.

"A deal? Against your Cold Peace?" She hissed the words. "I've made a deal with Blackthorns before, they are untrustworthy."

Ty shot a quick glance at Kit, he had his head down like he was struggling with gathering enough energy to hold it up. "We only came to take the Black Volume from the Unseelie King, we can give it to you."

"I have no reason to trust you will be successful where others have failed. You have trespassed in my lands, no doubt without the protection of your Clave, I should have you killed."

" _Please_ , you can trust us."

"My trust cannot be earned by words alone, Nephilim."

Ty closed his eyes, thinking fast. This was not one of his strong suits. He could present the facts and hope she would come to a logical conclusion, but to try to convince someone to do something not in their best interest?

 _What would Julian do?_ He thought to himself.

 _Make them think they have the advantage._

Ty's eyes snapped open, "You're right, we're not under Clave protection, in fact they don't even know we're here."

Everyone including Kit turned to look at him like he was crazy.

"That's why you can trust me when I say we're not acting out of the Clave's interest. No one will question you if we don't succeed, the Clave won't know your involvement nor the Unseelie King. There is no scenario where you lose, but you _need_ this win or you will die soon as well."

"Well said", she gave him a cold smile, "Maybe I will take a chance on you."

Ty's relief was cut short when she turned towards Kit again.

"But _only_ you. I will be keeping him to make sure you keep your promise."

"You can't!"

Kit glared, but again he didn't say anything.

"I must," She said sounding pleased with herself, "Somehow you have found a way into Faerie undetected, you may be able to leave undetected. I have no reason to believe you will return with the book if you succeed. However, I sense you would do anything for this one."

The queen gave Kit another long look, the expression on her face was hard to place, and Ty felt fear return to him.

"Oh, you have no reason to fret, he will be _well_ taken care of."

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Diego wandered through the aisles of the library, the Scholomance had been cleaned up nicely in recent years. When it first reopened several trees had grown through the library cracking the glass ceiling. Now there was hardly a trace of a sapling in sight, and the skyline had been repaired giving the residents a pleasant retreat from the dark caverns. Though, Diego did find the occasional pine needles in books still.

Looking on the shelf in front of him behind a book he had currently pulled of the shelf was a small acorn. It reminded him of Kieran, the Faerie prince who had once stayed here unbeknownst to the Clave.

Diego sighed, maybe he was more accustomed to breaking the law then he'd like to think.

It had been four days since Kit and Ty disappeared into Faerie.

They had three days left to return.

Diego was beginning to think their plan was foolhardy. He agreed with Tiberius that they needed to prevent the cohort from getting the Black Volume, and Tiberius of all people, had a right to be the one to go after it. Still, he hated to think of them in danger.

The Blackthorns had a strange way of pulling you in, rooting for their success and wanting to protect them from their failures. He was sure Kit knew that better than anyone.

And Cristina..

She was practically a Blackthorn now too, and even though they had grown apart in some ways she would always be an important part of his life, and he hated that he might be responsible for hurting her family.

He owed them more than that.

But even if he did tell the Blackthorns what had happened he could see no way they could help. The only undetected way into Faerie was in his bedside drawer, and the Scholomance was only accessible for the privileged few.

Though, if anyone could find a way Julian Blackthorn could.

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Ty wanted to argue with the Queen but she only promised that no harm would come to Kit.

They were taken to separate rooms down the same wing, the prisoner wing.

Ty's room was honestly not bad, perhaps they were allowed to have actual rooms instead of a holding cell given the circumstances. He only hoped she was as generous to Kit.

She seemed to have a keen interest in him though he had no idea why. Maybe because he had somehow survived a spell that should have killed him.

He had no idea how _that_ was possible either.

All he knew for certain was that he was not leaving here without Kit, one way or the other.

Ty paced his small room trying to come up with a plan. The room had a simple bed with a nightstand, and a simple water basin. Ontop of the nightstand was a jar that held a glowing wil-o-the-wisp, the only source of light in the room. The room was almost entirely dark except for the wisp that danced in the jar, casting different shadows as it moved.

Ty was certain Kit was dead, and now that he knew that he was alive and being held nearby, he was almost mad with the need to see him.

His plans were reckless, but he could hardly care, he wasn't in his usual state of mind. Usually he could detach himself easily from a situation to come up with a plan objectively.

But where Kit was concerned he was never objective.

As the plan stands currently, there were two guards outside of his door and Kit was being held in a room, most likely, down the hall. It was also likely that there were at least two guards in front of Kit's door, all within eyesight. There was also the likelihood that Kit's room was more fortified then his.

More importantly one of the Faerie gentries had taken his weapons to hold onto until he was ready to leave.

Overall, the situation was not optimal for a jailbreak.

But Kit was alive and that was all the motivation he needed to do whatever it took to see him.

He had thought he would have to live the rest of his life without him, there was no possible way he could leave now.

Ty sneaked up to the door frame, only a curtain hanging on the frame separated his room from the corridor. If he hit the first guard just right on the base of the skull he could incapacitate him, leaving him ready for the next one. When he turned he could use a two finger jab to the windpipe on the next guard.

Ty was thinking what he would do about the guards down the hall who would surely hear the commotion, when he was struck by the silence. Creeping closer he peered through the seams in the curtain, but there was nothing.

Tentatively, he lifted the curtain, but there was no one there. He walked slowly down the corridor, he could see the guards but they seemed not to have noticed him yet.

He walked more slowly, but as he got closer they still hadn't moved yet, and he gradually picked up the pace.

He was just a few feet from them, yet they hadn't even moved an inch. It became evidently clear when he reached them that they were frozen in place by some kind of magic.

That's when he noticed the shadowy figure standing behind them.

Standing in the dark shadows was a tall woman almost blending in with the dark. As soon as she saw him she stepped out from behind them, materializing out of the dark.

"Hello There, Tiberius Blackthorn." She said.

He could feel his heart beating fast. "Who are you?"

She smiled then, her body was eerily still like an animal before it pounced. She had long dark hair and icy blue eyes. Her form seemed to shimmer and dissolve with the darkness as if the shadows were trying to pull her back in. She looked like a cold winter, like a remnant of spring trapped under the ice.

"I'am the Unseelie Queen, a trespasser just like you. I've come to speak with you."

Ty stared confused. Was there such thing as an Unseelie Queen? And if there was she definitely would not be an ally.

"Oh, I assure you I very much exist," she said as if reading his thoughts. "Though many have forgotten me, cursed to be nothing but shadows and wind.". "But not for much longer."

Ty didn't like the sound of that, he also didn't like that she was standing right in front of Kit's door. "Why would you want to speak to me?" He said his eyes resting on her collarbone, her skin shimmered, the outline of her body seemed to blur the longer he stared.

"I believe we share a common interest.." She said as she placed her hand on Kit's hand momentarily disappeared into the darkness, and Ty wondered if she was reaching into the room, searching for him. "Specifically, the boy behind this door."

Ty swallowed, "what do you want?"

"Cautious one are we? That's good." Her voice sounded like a velvety purr. She pulled her hand out of the door, to his relief.

"What would you want with Kit?"

"Ah, yes Christopher Herondale has quiet the lineage indeed. Surely, you've wondered who his mother was? A clever boy like you I'm sure you've had your theories..Or perhaps you didn't want to think about it?"

Ty did have a few ideas, for one he was certain he had some Faey blood, that would only make sense considering how afraid Johnny Rook was of his son's discovery, he remembered the look of horror on his face when he found Ty, a Shadowhunter, with a knife to his son's throat.

"You see, your paramour has a claim to both thrones, he could be the one to reunite them."

" _Kit?_ How?"

"He is a descendant of a god, a product of very particular breeding. He will have many enemies, your very own Clave for one."

Ty stared at her in disbelief, what she was saying seemed unbelievable. "But you're not his enemy?"

She laughed, it sounded like wind chimes. Ty could almost imagine a cool breeze blowing past.

"Oh, of course I am! His greatest enemy perhaps! For you see, I have always had a hand in shaping the politics of the Courts, and I intend to keep doing so."

She reminded him of a snake coiling itself getting ready to strike, and Ty was aware of his disadvantageous position. Was she going to try to hurt Kit? Or had she already done it?

He had no weapons on him, not even a stele, there was nothing he could do.

"Then we have nothing to speak of." He said, but she just smiled.

"I think we have much to speak of." Her voice pitched lower in the way he had heard Kit do when he tried to convince someone of something.

"The boy's mother wishes for me to find a way to convince him to leave with her to Faerie. She's _desperate_ for it. I have no care for such notions of consent, I would much rather take him"

"You're working with his mother? But you yourself said you were his enemy."

"As I said, Niamh is dangerously desperate, she wants him to choose her, and the best way to him is through you."

"I won't help you."

She smiled coldly at him. "Don't be so hasty, I have so much to offer you." She began pacing slowly, her movements careful and deliberate as she walked around him.

He stood still as she circled him, measuring him.

"You deny me so quickly yet you have refused to think what would happen if I took him. Perhaps you'll never see him again or one night long from now you will have a chance encounter and he might have far out aged you. Maybe he will take himself a new lover, one more….suitable."

Ty couldn't help from flinching.

"After that lie you told him maybe he desires someone new.."

Did she know about his last conversation with Kit? He turned to face her and she produced something from one of her long sleeves and held it up for him to see. At first he just thought it was a thread, but looking closer he could see it was a strand of black hair wrapped around a blonde strand.

Ty went pale.

"But I can make sure you're destinies remain intertwined."

"How-how did you…?"

"How indeed. You will find that I'am a formidable foe, Tiberius, if you choose to make me one. But I am not here today as your enemy."

"Why would you want to help me?"

"The boy has a use yet to be fulfilled, so for the time being I need him alive. And he will remain alive, at least for a time if you do as I ask. I will give you everything you want."

"What do I want?"

For a moment he thought he saw her teeth become pointed and her eyes become dark and sunken, but when his eyes flickered up to her face she looked just the same as she had.

Things were becoming dangerous, he could feel a certain pressure as the conversation continued.

"You want your sister back but your reluctant to do what is necessary, to generate the dark energy that's required. I can provide you with that, as long as you assist me."

He knew what she wanted from him, a way to Kit somehow. But he couldn't do it, not even for Livvy.

"I can't." He said, his voice sounding hoarse.

"What you mean is you won't, but you will." She said confidently.

"I won't do anything that could hurt him."

"No you won't, that's why you'll do as I ask. This is not a deal I'm offering you, but a choice. If you do not agree to help me I will take Kit back to Faerie with me now regardless of his wishes. However, Niamh would prefer for him to make this choice himself and if you help him make that decision I will give you your sister back." She dropped the strands of hair she was holding and he watched as it drifted down in slow motion. As she talked he could see his black hair slowly uncurling itself from Kit's.

"Why would he choose to go to Faerie?"

"Eventually he will come to understand that the life Niamh is offering to give him is the only option for him."

"So, you want me to convince him to go?"

"I want you to do one simple thing, love him and don't push him away. If you do this, when the time comes, you will tell him to do the right thing _because_ you love him."

"If I agree.." Ty started trying to understand what she wanted from him. "You'll help me bring back my sister and give Kit a choice."

"Yes, and if you do not agree I will take him from you now, and you must know you could not stop me. That was the deal I made with his mother."

The hairs were almost completely pulled apart now.

She wasn't lying, she couldn't be, which meant he only had one choice if he wanted to give Kit one.

"Then I agree to your deal."

His strand of hair immediately curled back around Kit's, she plucked it back out of the air and he knew the spell was complete.

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When Kit woke up he felt awake, really, _really,_ uncomfortably awake. He had collapsed, falling asleep almost as soon as he entered his chambers. He had no idea how long he was out for, he hardly even remembered crawling into the bed.

Now that he was awake his nerves seemed to be on high alert. Everything was too vibrant, he could feel every thread of the sheets he was laying on, the lights were too bright and colorful despite the fact that the room was only lighted by a few wisps floating around the room. And the sound of the waterfall pool was defining if he focused on it for too long. Most of all his right arm was throbbing as if it had been constricted by something before he had woken up. He wondered vaguely if this was how Ty felt all the time, and felt another wave of respect for the boy he was in love with.

The feeling was starting to ebb away and he was beginning to feel more like himself. It was hard to think that he was in a state like death, that he had been 'revived' in some sense. When he had first came to he was in shock, his body couldn't handle the stimulus that life demanded, and slowly his body was assimilating again.

Slowly, he was able to take in his new surroundings. The room looked like it should belong to Faerie nobility, not a hostage. There was a waterfall bathing pool, a wooden dresser, and nightstand with intricate wood carvings. The bed he was laying on was particularly luxurious. It was a large round bed with thick red comforters and numerous fluffy pillows with tassels. There was a thin white canopy at the headrest of the bed with red, yellow, roses and baby's breath woven into the material.

The room didn't make him feel comforted however, far from it. It seemed clear to Kit that his suspicions were right, the Seelie Queen knew who he was.

Whether or not the fact that he was technically her great-grandson or whatever, was to his advantage, he wasn't sure. But the fact that he survived a spell that should have killed him was beginning to make this whole thing a little more believable.

If he was just half-Faerie he shouldn't have any special abilities, Mark and Helen didn't. But if he was descended from a _god_ well that could mean anything.

He thought about his ability to see through glamours that others couldn't, like the secret door to Blackthorn Manor. In fact, he seemed to have a second sense when it came to magic, especially Faerie work.

Then he started thinking of the dreams he had, it wasn't unusual for him to have vivid dreams, things that seemed important, if not a bit disconnected. He thought about his nightmares, about phantom Livvy, how he had thought they were a warning.

" _I tried to warn you.."_

The words came back from the hallucination he had in Lake Lynn.

But were they really just hallucinations? He wasn't so sure anymore…

He looked down at his hand and saw the Blackthorn ring on his finger. This was the first time he had ever worn it, somehow he always felt like he didn't deserve to. Yet, when Ty had rejected him of all times was when he finally put on the ring. Maybe, he was to wracked with grief to think or maybe he thought that if he was going to die for the Blackthorns then he should be able to wear the damn ring. Looking at it now though, he thought of the dream he had woken up from.

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Evergreen laurels with red baubles were strung up a little haphazardly around the institute, like a last minute thought. A few wreaths were hanging around the institute doors, a few small Christmas trees were setting on the tables, another last minute addition he was sure wasn't there the day before.

Kit remembered this day, it was his last Christmas at the institute and only a few weeks away from the day he was to join the Shadowhunter Academy. He remembered waking up surprisingly well rested considering that no one woke him up for training for once. Well rested, and a little annoyed since it was usually Ty who took it upon himself to wake him up.

He walked down the hallway till he heard everyone's voices in on of common rooms the Blackthorns usually used for watching movies or just family things in general.

He stopped in the doorway staring, suddenly he wasn't sure he was awake.

All the residence were sitting around in the room, in the center of the room was a small pile of gifts with a tiny evergreen plant plopped on top of the pile. The little tree looked pitiful, bowed slightly from the amount of tinsel and what looked like string cheese?

Julian was singing Christmas carols off key while Dru, who was wearing reindeer antlers covered her ears as her brother followed her around the room. Tavvy was trailing behind Jules trying to join in on the singing. They passed Ty who was leaning against a wall reading a book, he was smiling though, and was even wearing a santa hat.

Emma was sitting on the couch trying to goad Kieran into an eggnog drinking contest.

"Are you just afraid I could drink you under the table?"

"Why would I go under the table?" Kieran said as if the suggestion was rude.

"Because you would pass out in a most undignified fashion at my victory." Emma tried to clarify.

Kieran's hair turned a shade darker, apparently Emma's goading was slowly working on him.

"Then you would put me under a table?"

"For safekeeping of course!" Emma said cheerily, a little of her eggnog spilling.

Cristina promptly plucked the glass out of her hand and gave Kieran an apologetic pat on the shoulder.

Kit blinked, staring at the scene in front of him. "What?" He remembered asking Dru about how Shadowhunters celebrated Christmas. After all, they were practically angels, you would think they would make a big deal out of it. To his surprise that wasn't the case. Dru explained how some people had adopted the traditions but plenty of Nephilim didn't bother seeing it more frivolous. The L.A. institute for one, had never made a big a deal further then exchanging festive presents.

Or so he thought.

Seeing him staring a little dumbfounded, Cristina walked over to him. "It's a little last minute but we thought we should throw you a proper Christmas party before you leave."

Ty walked up now, closing his book, "We should have thought about it before when you first came, really." He was still wearing his santa hat, which Kit couldn't help but find adorable.

Kit didn't know what to say. In truth him and his father didn't really make a big deal about Christmas either, but the Blackthorns had decorated the institute last minute for him.

"Is that why you didn't wake me up?" He turned to Ty trying to blink away tears.

He shrugged, "I was busy, I didn't want you to wake up before we were finished."

He couldn't believe it, he looked around the room at everyone. He caught Julian's eye, he gave him a wink. Even Julian who he didn't always get along with, did this for him.

So, this is what having a family is like.

Mark entered the room with a few more badly wrapped presents in his arms. "I have finished wrapping the presents!" He announced.

Everyone gathered around the pile of presents, which pretty much completely obscured the tiny excuse for a Christmas tree and began unwrapping.

Kit held his gift from Emma, a dagger of course, Mark had really gone all out on the wrapping. Each present was covered in more than a few layers of wrapping paper all with different designs. He even pasted a few small objects to each of the presents, Kit could only assume were supposed to be charms.

Ty finally managed to successfully unwrap his gift from Mark, a small bee habitat.

"I thought perhaps you still had an interest in beekeeping." He said a little timidly.

Ty grinned, and it brightened up his entire face, "Thank you Mark."

Julian didn't seem exactly pleased that Mark was encouraging Ty to keep a bunch of bees but admittedly it did go well with the drawing pencils he had given Ty. Kit had seen the pictures of butterflies and moths that Ty had drawn, they were incredible. It was easy to think that the only artist in the family was Julian but Kit wondered what Ty could do if he branched out.

Kit had gotten several more Shadowhuntery weapons and equipment, they were really laying the whole were-proud-of -you-for-embracing-your-heritage thing on thick. He was just about ready to give Ty his present he had brought from upstairs. He wished he could have given it to him in private but there was no way to get around it with everyone exchanging gifts.

"Here, it's nothing big, I just thought you might like it." Kit found himself rambling as he handed over the gift hoping Ty would like it. His gift was wrapped neater then Mark's if only because his didn't have fruit loops tapped to it.

Ty unwrapped the present precisely, pulling at the seams instead of tearing into the paper and shredding it like what Tavvy liked to do. He opened the shoe box Kit had stuffed the magazines in and carefully lifted up the old dusty papers. Kit had done his best to clean them up but the years they had spent in that old warehouse seemed to cling to them.

Ty's eyes grew wide as they darted across the papers scanning the contents. He didn't grow visibly excited or exclaim in excitement but Kit could tell by the spark in his eyes that Kit had done something very right.

"Thank you Kit...I can't believe you found this." He continued to study the contents, a warm blush colouring his pale face as he thanked him.

Kit remembered the day he found it. Julian decided to take him on a raid with himself and Emma as a training exercise. They found a peculiar demon who had taken up the habit of hoarding interesting items, the older and odder the better. They cornered him in a warehouse he had been hiding out in, during the fight the demon had split the floor in half as if it was trying to crawl back in to hell to escape. Kit thought maybe that is what it was trying to do, judging by the abyss that was now dividing the floor and growing in width.

That's when he saw a box teetering at the edge of the cracked floor. A name stood out on the foremost page peeking out of the box:

" _Sherlock Holmes.."_

Before Kit knew what he was doing he dove for the box, barely grabbing it before it toppled over the edge, and Kit along with it. He almost stumbled right over, but he turned his momentum from his sprint into a jump clearing the abyss and making it back to the side where Julian and Emma were watching horrified.

Emma thought he had gone crazy, almost getting himself killed just for a box of old magazines.

But Julian had taken one look at the print and gave him a knowing look without questioning him.

" _Busted.."_ Kit had thought.

Somehow, the demon had found first print copies of the magazine that Sherlock Holmes was first published in, a perfect Christmas present.

"I remember _that!_ " Emma started, "Those are the magazines you almost yourself-"

"It was nothing, it was a lucky find." Kit cut her off giving her a meaningful look.

He risked a glance at Julian but he was staring at Tavvy. Tavvy was trying to get Julian to lift him up and carry him but Julian was giving him an odd look, almost like he didn't recognize him. As Kit watched though, Julian blinked and the softness returned to his face as he picked up his little brother.

"I left your present in my room, I'll give it to you later." Ty said, putting the magazines carefully back in their box.

Kit felt a wave of annoyance at himself. Why hadn't he thought of a simple excuse like that?

They spent most of the day enjoying each other's company, eating a Christmas meal prepared by Jules, and even watched a Christmas movie. Well sort of, Dru had insisted that _Nightmare Before Christmas_ was technically categorized as a Christmas movie.

Finally, it was getting late and Ty motioned for Kit to follow him to his room.

Kit closed the door behind them, Ty walked over to his dresser drawer and pulled something out.

"Open your hand." He instructed.

Kit did, extending the same hand Ty had given him his first permanent rune.

Ty dropped a small ring in the palm of his hand. Kit took it between his fingers, studying the thorns wrapped around the metal band and the familiar motto inscribed on the inside:

 _Lex mulla, Lex nulla._

The Blackthorn family ring.

"I thought you could use a reminder while your gone that you're just as much a Blackthorn now as you are a Herondale."

He was stunned at the simple gesture and his heart warmed in a way it didn't when Jace had given him his family ring. Blackthorn wasn't his name but they were his family as far as he was concerned, and he was always self consciousness that he had no real claim to them.

Ty knew this, and he wanted to give him a reminder that they did consider him family.

"Is-is this your ring?" Kit asked, looking up at him now.

"Yes, though I rarely wear it and I'd rather you have it."

"I can't take your ring.."

Ty stepped forward placing his hand on Kit's, curling his fingers around the ring. " I don't want you to forget me, or any of us."

Kit's protest died in his throat, "Of course I won't. Thank you Ty, this means alot to me."

That was when things started going wrong.

The edges of Kit's vision started to blur, darkness creeping into the corners of his peripheral. Ty became unfocused and hazy, his features becoming indistinct. When Ty came back into focus Kit felt a chill run down his spine. There was something off in his expression that reminded him of phantom Livvy, his eyes were intensely locked onto his.

Kit tried to jerk away, realizing he was no longer reliving the memory of his last Christmas but instead stumbled into some sort of nightmare. But Ty tightened his grip on his hand, Kit winced in pain.

He hated these dreams, he was used to having nightmares about Livvy or his father but seeing Ty like this was horrifying.

"Stop!" He yelled at his own mind, he didn't want to see this, he didn't want to imagine this.

He tugged again frantically but Ty's grip was iron clad. He smiled viciously, it looked so out of place on him, Ty was alot of things but he was never cruel.

"You cannot fight, we are bonded."

"You're not Ty." He said, his voice was shaking.

He laughed and his voice changed from Ty's deep joyful sound to a clear ring, a woman's voice.

"What difference does it make? You are mine now just as you are his." The voice coming from him was feminine now, but Kit was certain he had never heard it before.

Something shifted and Kit looked down to see a large dark hole in Ty's chest, it was like dark magic pooling out of his body tainting his memories like black marks on a photograph.

"What are you doing to him?" He whispered, becoming more and more terrified. He was wrong this was _nothing_ like his other nightmares.

"You mean what has he done to you?" She made him smile gleefully, like a puppet that turned into something sinister under her touch.

He looked down at their hands and stifled a yell. Their hands were melded together, thorns wrapped around their arms, cutting deep into his skin.

He felt movement behind him and looked over his shoulder, he felt his heart ram against his ribcage, a cold fear settling over him at what he saw.

It was everyone, the entire Blackthorn family with the addition of Cristina and Emma, all of them lifeless corpses standing upright but motionless as if someone had propped up their bodies with string.

Julian and Emma stood side by side, he could see their parabatai marks, stained red with blood like a fresh wound. Dru was holding Tavvy's hand, as if she were trying to comfort him even in death. Their faces were slack and frozen within death, it was too painful to see the youngest, the most innocent Blackthorns like that.

Then, standing there slightly to the side of her family was phantom Livvy looking exactly like the nightmares he used to have of her.

She was the only one moving, as if brought back to a half-life by necromantic magic. She followed his gaze and gave him an empty smile, like her soul had remained behind in death.

He almost lost it when he saw her, suddenly overcome with a need to scream at the top of his lungs.

This wasn't just a nightmare it was like a grand finale of all his nightmares and fears pulled together to scare him out of his mind, and it was working.

They weren't dead, this wasn't what happened.

"This isn't happening, this didn't happen." He muttered frantically.

"Even memories can lie child."

"This isn't my memories!" He didn't know where to look, he couldn't bring himself to look back at Ty being controlled and used, he couldn't look at the animated bodies of the Blackthorns either, he was stuck, paralyzed in every sense of the word.

"Oh? And what are memories if not the ghosts we keep?"

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Kit sat up as he heard the closing of of his door, he was expecting maybe a servant with food, maybe even the Queen herself coming to interrogate him.

He wasn't expecting Ty, he felt a wave of emotions like a punch to the gut seeing him standing there.

The longing, the sadness, the guilt, were so strong it paralyzed him and he just... stared.

He looked like the perfect image of confliction between disbelief and anger. It would have made for a stunning portrait.

Kit tried to talk but his throat clamped up.

 _God, what could he even say?_

From riged stillness to a flurry of motion, Ty was suddenly on the bed with him, his legs on either side of his hips as he gripped him into a crushing hug.

"Ty-?" Kit gasped, as the other boy wrapped himself around him, holding him like a vice grip.

"Don't ever…" Ty said, his voice shaky, "Don't you ever do something like that again."

Kit was pretty sure if his senses hadn't returned to normal at this point he would have gone into shock again. "I-I didn't mean.."

Ty pulled away slightly so he could look at him, his face only inches from his. "I thought you were dead Kit!" His hands were on his face and Kit couldn't help it, he automatically reacted to the touch and his own hands found their way to the back or Ty's neck.

"I know. If it helps I thought I was dead too."

Ty shook his head, his mouth in thin a line. Kit got the distinct impression that there was a large part of Ty that wanted to throttle him.

"Sorry.." Kit bent his head down, it was hard to look at him. He was such an idiot, he had almost gotten both of them killed just because, apparently, he couldn't handle rejection.

Ty's hands fell from his face, tracing the cuts down his cheek.

"Take off your shirt." He said.

Kit's head shot up confused, "what?"

Ty answered by grabbing the poultice off the nightstand holding it up to him.

Oh, right, he had almost forgotten that he was still cut up from the thorns. The Faeries had taken away his stele but at least they left the poultice for him to use.

A little hesitantly Kit shrugged off his gear, and Ty got to work applying the poultice.

Ty started to wash his wounds, his hands touching the cuts as he he worked the medicine into the them. It stung, but not as much as the fact that Kit couldn't help but think what this moment might have been like if he hadn't messed everything up, if Ty still loved him.

He wished Ty wouldn't worry about the cuts on his chest, he would rather him not know how fast his heart was pounding. Not to mention this entire time Ty still hadn't moved out of his lap and he was beginning to worry that _that_ might become a problem.

"Kit..? Are you ok? You're breathing is shallow."

"So are you.." Kit pointed out. It was something he was trying not to notice, Ty's breathing was coming out short and breathy as he touched him. Even his voice, usually rich, was low and husky.

Ty nodded, as if that was enough of an explanation.

Kit closed his eyes as Ty continued to work on him. He wanted to pretend, maybe for just a minute.

Ty wasn't sure what he should do. He needed to tell Kit that he had lied, he needed him to know that he loved him. He couldn't stand the idea of something happening to Kit again before Ty could tell him.

Besides that he made a deal, but he was trying not to think about that..

But he wasn't sure how Kit would react when he told him that he almost died because of a lie. Touching his skin like this he couldn't help but remember the countless runes he had drawn on Kit. He wasn't as nervous back then as he was now. He had easily dismissed any notions that Kit would have any romantic feelings for him, perhaps that was why it was easier then. Of course this was different than before. This time he didn't want to stop, he didn't know where his limitations were, he wanted to know how far they could go, if they could...

He turned his attention to a long cut running up from Kit's abdomen to his right shoulder. As he touched the wound he could feel the flutter of Kit's heart.

His heart was pounding just as hard as his, that must be a good sign, Ty thought.

What was that phrase again? Actions speak louder than words?

He had always liked that one, not always having the right words to say, he thought his actions should make his feelings clear enough.

With that line of thought, Ty tentatively rested his head on Kit's shoulder, and felt the other boy stiffen underneath him, he could feel both of their hearts pick up in speed, pounding together. Slowly, he tilted his face into the crook of Kit's neck and brushed his lips against his skin.

It wasn't like he hadn't done this before, but a lot of time had passed and Ty couldn't help but worry that Kit would reject him.

What if his feelings had changed?

Kit let out a gasp, his eyes flying open.

Ty embraced him again, dropping the rag he had been using to wash the wounds. Before Kit's brain could catch up, his body responded by wrapping his arms around Ty and burying his head in his shoulder.

"Ty?" He asked weakly.

Ty answered by nudging Kit to look up at him, their lips were inches apart now. Kit could feel Ty's breath on his lips, he could smell the ocean on him still as if he had never left the institute. He started closing in the distance and Kit felt his eyes close, leaning into the kiss.

Ty was hesitant, barely touching his lips to his like a question.

God, Kit wanted to just pretend. He wanted to, but just as his body reacted instinctively he felt his heart turn to lead.

Their lips finally met, Kit opened his mouth for him, pulling him even closer into him. Instead of relief, he felt like he was drowning, waves crashing down on him threatening to pull him under and never let him resurface.

Kit pulled back, turning his face away from Ty. "Don't."

Ty leaned back, hurt flickered across his face. "Oh, you don't...you don't.."

Kit didn't know how it was possible that Ty thought he didn't want whatever was about to happen, _especially_ considering where he was sitting.

"I can't, not when I know you don't feel the same way. It just hurts Ty." He felt his voice waver, he felt weak, but when they were in this position he was weak.

"Kit I'm sorry.."

"It's not your fault. It's mine, I pushed you away."

"Kit-"

"And you don't owe me anything just cause I almost died. Again that was my fault-"

Ty held his hand up to silence him. "Kit you're not letting me finish."

Kit nodded sheepishly, waiting for him.

Ty let out a deep breath, "I lied to you before. I was afraid things were getting too dangerous and I had hoped that if I told you I didn't love you, you wouldn't do anything...well, stupid."

Kit, to Ty's surprise, laughed.

"So….you were trying to protect me?" He was grinning and Ty could tell he was trying hard to not laugh again.

His smile was infectious and seeing it he couldn't help smiling too. "Yes, clearly that was pointless."

Kit reached up to cup Ty's face in his hand. Ty leaned into the touch feeling a weight lifted off him.

"Can we stop this now?" He asked softly, "I don't care about any of it anymore, I just want to be with you."

"But Livvy-"

"I know, and I don't care, well I mean I do, but…" Kit tried to think of how to explain his sudden revelation. He finally understood what the point was about the story Jace had told him. They couldn't keep working against each other assuming they knew what was best for the other. That only proved to tear them apart. How could he expect Ty to believe he could be enough for him if they never even tried to be together?

"I still don't think resurrecting Livvy is a good idea, and I won't help you, but I'm not going to sabotage you either. I want to be there for you, and help you make the right decision when the time comes, and if things go bad I want to be there for that too."

Ty rested his forehead against Kit's, "I can accept that."

Kit found Ty's lips again and whispered, "No more protecting each other."

"I love you." Ty said.

Kit kissed him feeling nothing short of elation from hearing the boy he loved say he loved him back.

The kiss deepend with intensity as the desire to get as close to one another as possible enveloped them. Ty was hovering above him, slowly pressing into him, one hand on his chest and the other on the mattress keeping himself up right. He was slowly pushing them both back onto the bed, his movements careful but purposeful, as if telling Kit " _I'm not that delicate, I want this."_

Kit was letting him set the pace, but he found himself quickly breathless at a loss of what to do now that Ty was laying on top of him.

Kit fell back on the mattress, Ty's lips grazed his jawline, his body completely covering his, Kit could feel the heat escaping him, hot like a fever. Ty found his way down Kit's neck and took a tentative bite, as if to judge Kit's reaction.

He couldn't help it, dazed and breathless, Kit let out a strangled moan, taking a fist full of Ty's shirt.

Ty lifted his face to look at Kit, and Kit bit his lip, the expression on his face causing his heart to do somersaults.

Ty had the same pleased expression he got when he knew he was being clever, and it drove Kit up the wall everytime. Kit had _experience_ so to speak, but Ty had him feeling like he had never so much as touched another person before.

The daze lifted as Kit recognized the hint of a challenge in his eyes. He wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to make Ty just as breathless as he was. Kit cupped the back of Ty's neck and pulled him down, rolling ontop of him. Kit leaned down meeting his lips. Lightly, Kit flicked his tongue against Ty's lips asking for permission. Ty answered, parting his lips and Kit hungirly pressed into him. Ty's hands found their way into Kit's hair, and Kit let out a groan against his mouth at the sensation.

Kit's own hands had been tracing Ty's body underneath his shirt, he could feel Ty reacting to his touch, the way his breath hitched when Kit touched him. He leaned down, his breath hot against his ear.

He tugged at the hem on Ty's shirt, "This is hardly fair don't you think?"

Ty got the hint and pulled of his shirt, casting it to the side somewhere.

They had never been this close in this way before and so much skin to skin contact was starting make his head swim, one look at Ty told him he was feeling the same way.

Kit couldn't help but marvel at the sight of him like this.

Ty was still small framed but he had filled out a great deal when they decided to start training for the Scholomance together. His muscles were more defined and his body finally reflected the strength he had. Ty's face was flushed, he was panting under the sensation of Kit's body pressed against him, his eyes glazed over, his dark curls falling from his face.

The sight of him like that was breaking him down filling him with a building pain that was threatening to overwhelm him. He didn't know if he wanted to crush himself into him or tell him he loved him over and over till he lost his voice.

Kit took his face in his hands as he gazed down at him, trying to memorize him.

"Ty, look at me please, just for a moment."

Ty's eyes flickered up to his, holding them steady.

This was the only memory he needed, no matter what happens next.

Kit closed his eyes burning it into his mind. "God, you're so beautiful."

When he opened his eyes he was surprised to find Ty's eyes still locked on his, there was a somberness in them he didn't understand. His stare was intense, and Kit imagined he could see everything there, this time it was Kit who was tempted to look away.

" _Saudade._ " Ty said gently, reaching up to stroke Kit's face.

"What?"

"It's portuguese."

Kit couldn't help smiling, "And when did you learn portuguese?"

"I learned latin when I was ten, the languages have a common root and often overlap." He said as if that made it somehow any less impressive.

Before Kit could ask what it meant, Ty had lifted himself up to kiss him again, his hands found Kit's taking ahold of them. Ty turned his hand over, his thumb brushing against the Blackthorn ring.

"I've never seen you wear it before." He said, breaking away from him to look at it.

"Hmm..I'm not sure I was ready to explain to Julian and Mark that you gave me your ring." He said playfully, running his free hand through Ty's dark curls. His hair was a ruffled mess, and it made him look ridiculous attractive. Bed head, Kit realized, Ty had bed head because of _him._

Ty looked at him quizzically, leaning into Kit's touch.

"I don't know if you knew this," He continued, "but in mundane culture rings are usually given to propose marriage."

Ty somehow managed to blush even more then he was. "Actually I did know that. Obviously I wasn't proposing but I thought the symbolism was appropriate."

"And as usual it was completely lost on me."

"Why did you think I gave you my family ring?" He scrunched his eyebrows together in the adorable way he did when he thought Kit was being ridiculous.

"How am I ever supposed to know what you're thinking when you're leagues smarter than everyone else. I think you just need to start spelling things out for me Sherlock."

Ty gave him a swift kiss before pulling back slightly, "Fine, I'm in love with you."

"Thanks for clearing that up for me, I was starting to have my doubts." He smiled against his lips, pulling him into another kiss. Kit made a contented sigh as he curved his body pressing into him.

Ty's hands sliding down to the waistband of Kit's pants and he soon forgot everything but the two of them.

Slowly, they made their way to the front, his fingers playing with the button that fastened them.

"Ty.."

He pulled away slightly, studying his hesitation.

"We don't have to, we don't have rush…" He said placing his hands lightly on Ty's.

"It's alright Kit if you want to, I want to."

"But..what about the guards?" Kit suddenly remembered where they were and that this might not be the most ideal location for this, but Ty just shook his head.

"They won't come in, it's fine." he said so confidently Kit was inclined to believe him.

"Ok...But there's no reason we need to rush everything if you want to take things slow…" His voice trailed off as Ty moved closer to him, his face inches away.

Ty was smiling, his eyes locked on his lips. "Kit, I _want_ you." He murmured.

That was all he need to hear.

Kit gathered him up in his arms, pulling himself up further onto Ty's lap and they fell back onto the bed together.

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Ty picked up his shirt from the floor and pulled it over his head, doing his best to smooth out the wrinkles as it settled over his form. It had taken him a little while to find all of his articles of clothing seeing as how they managed to get scattered haphazardly around the room. His clothes were wrinkled, dirty, and shredded in places from the thorn thickets he had waded through.

Fully dressed, and as geared up as he could be he gave Kit one last look.

He was still asleep, tangled in the bed sheets where Ty had left him. He looked so incredible to him, such strength that was not lessen in the slightest by his vulnerability, and Ty could see all of it in his face. It always surprised him how much he could see when he looked at Kit, but to him, it was like a map of the world. If he could just follow it, study every detail, memorize what no one else could see, then maybe he could find what he never dreamed he could have.

Yet, here he was giving it all up again.

His wounds had healed well, Ty had noted and he seemed to be sleeping well which relieved Ty. Even though Kit didn't like to talk about it he knew he had nightmares, though they came less frequently over the years.

Ty wished he could lean down and brush his lips against his, or any part of him really. But he knew he couldn't, Kit couldn't know what he was doing.

Sitting on the nightstand next to the bed was the ring he had given Kit years ago before he left for the academy. He remembered Kit taking it off when they were in the middle of….things.

Ty walked over, picking up the ring considering it before pocketing it. He could make use of this later, circumstances might have made him a liar but maybe that was fine as long as he was a clever one. Surely at least Kit could appreciate that sentiment.

The Queen of Air and Darkness herself had guaranteed Ty a few hours to escape. Not that he ended up using them for that, but he knew where he was going now he hardly needed the extra time.

Tonight she would keep her end of the bargain and he would get his sister back.

Ty lingered too long in the room, making excuses to double check things as he went. He hated the idea of leaving Kit here but he knew he would be back soon enough for him.

His heart felt heavier than ever as he finally convinced himself to leave. Despite everything that had happened between them last night, despite the promise Kit had made, Ty still couldn't bring himself to put Kit in anymore danger.

He had to do this alone, who knows how much harm he already done?

Who knew if any of it could ever be undone?

Ty left a note on the dresser and quietly slipped out the room with one last glance at Kit sleeping blissfully unaware, his fingers curled in the sheets at the place Ty had just left.

 **So that might be the longest chapter I've ever done, hopefully it was worth it. It looks like the next one will probably be the last one and as this draws to a close I get more and more nervous about the content I'm making but everyone's nice comments from the last one really inspired me to keep going and work hard on this last one! So thank you so much guys your comments make it all worth the work! Also sorry that one scene was very explicit, I'm not good with that kinda thing I guess I'll just have to leave that up to you guys lol.**


	10. At Death's Door

" _The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?"_

 **-Edgar Allen Poe**

" _Wake up!"_

Kit's eyes flew open, bolting straight up in bed. His heart pounded as his eyes searched the room looking for whatever had woken him up. At first he calmed down when he realized that no one was in the room with him, until he realized what that meant.

Ty was gone.

He looked over to the space beside him that Ty had occupied when he fell asleep. It was empty now but he could still see the indention in the mattress where he had laid. Absently, he placed his hand on the empty space, it was cold, Ty must have been gone for awhile now. He dug his fingers into the sheets as if he could make him re-materialize there.

Kit placed his head between his knees, his hands digging into his scalp as he let out a ragged breath.

He threw his head back, taking a deep breath trying to ground himself before leaping over the side of the bed.

He had thought that he had finally gotten through to him, that they could start over.

Kit picked up his gear from the floor and got dressed, finally noticing the note left on the dresser.

It simply said "I'm sorry," and signed by Ty.

Kit crumpled the letter after reading it.

Whatever dangerous thing Ty was about to do, Kit knew he had to make him see reason.

And before anything else, he swore he would be by his side.

No matter what happens.

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With a running start Kit jumped becoming airborne, both feet connecting with the Faerie guard standing to the left of the entryway to his door, knocking him flat. Immediately upon landing, Kit threw an elbow to the guard on his right, his head bouncing into the wall behind him.

Kit had no time to inspect his work however, as the two guards that were stationed at the end of the hallway came running towards him. One with a broadsword and the other with an elegant bow that looked to be made of oak. The archer set his arrow, pulling back on the drawstring aiming right at Kit while the other charged forward.

Swiftly, Kit grabbed a sword from one of the unconscious guard's belt and slung it like a boomerang at the archer before darting to the left. Taken by surprised and trapped in a narrow corridor, the archer had no choice but to use his bow to shield himself from the incoming sword. The hilt of the sword hit the wood of the bow hard, causing the Faerie to lose his grip as the blade spun from the impact and cut through the drawstring.

Kit charged towards the other Faerie, not waiting to see if his throw had hit it's mark.

Kit of course realized he didn't have a weapon as he ran towards an unusual bulky Faerie hefting a pretty considerably sized weapon. But he had learned from countless of merciless training drills against Julian, that fighting was about instinct. It was about practicing until the movement was in your muscles, because in battle there was no time to hesitate, no time to think of a battle plan. You had to _feel_ it.

So that's what Kit did.

As Kit entered into range of the Faeries attack, he crouched low, the guard's swing barely glancing his shoulder unable to place much force in his swing thanks to Kit's sudden close proximity. A memory flashed in his mind of a particular training session with Julian years ago. One particular session where he had been in a similar position as this, about to win the fight before Julian clobbered him over the head with the hilt of his sword. Remembering this, he quickly grabbed the Faeries arms, overextended holding the broadsword, and pinned them under his pulled back his free arm and punched the Faerie straight in the face.

Right about now, Kit figured the the second guard had probably picked up another weapon and was ready to attack. So, Kit swung his leg out kicking the guard in his side, knocking him to the right just as the second guard came at him, knocking them both over. Kit flipped the broadsword he had pulled free from the Faeries grip and readied it in his hands, pointing downwards to the guards on the floor ready for them.

But they didn't get up.

With a small smile, Kit looked around at the defeated unconscious Faeries. And that was how you fight off four Faerie guards with your bare hands, and Jace thought he needed to improve his improvising skills.

Kit dropped the broadsword in favor of the short sword he had thrown. He tested the weight in the palm of his hand before strapping the weapon to his belt. Kit turned his head to either side examining both ends of the hallway. Past his room the corridor became dark, and the tile floor ended. Dirt walls and dirt floor began where the masonwork ended, as if the hall was freshly dug out of the earth. It was hard for Kit to tell, seeing as how he was fighting unconsciousness when he was brought down to his room, but he could have sworn that the hallway wasn't there before. Kit closed his eyes and let himself just feel the room around him. He realized he had a knack for recognizing magic, feeling it around him and how it connects within himself. It was hard to distinguish it from all the magic in the air of this place as well as the fact that they were underground. But Kit could feel a different energy coming from the dirt corridor. Something dark, and _familiar._

He wasn't sure where this hallway came from but he just knew it had something to do with Ty.

And it was beckoning him.

A strange feeling of foreboding hit him as he stared into the darkness ahead and stepped into the freshly made corridor.

Unbeknownst to him, as he disappeared down the dark hallway, the dirt walls closed in and resealed itself behind him.

Tucking him away from the eyes of all of Faerie.

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Ty stood in a dark cavern at the edge of a shore that lead out into what looked to be the sea. The cavern was filled with beautiful stalagmites and stalactites, each with layers of deep blue and green colors peppered with glittering golden flakes. Ty found the stalagmites particularly impressive, many of them long enough to reach down from the tall ceiling to connect with the stalactites. However, as scenic as his environment was, it was disconcertedly unstable.

At the edge of the water was a basin made of smooth stone and the same unusual coloring of the stalagmites that Ty was inspecting. At the foot of the basin was a collection of bronze stones. At the center of the bowl protruded a long sharp point.

It seemed clear to him that this was constructed for ritualistic purposes. What concerned him, however, was the possibility of the cavern collapsing if the ritual was attempted incorrectly. There was a strong chance that this area was constructed in such a way as a fail safe, and not in fact natural.

Ty walked around the basin, running his fingers around the edge of the bowl searching for grooves or indentions but the stone was completely smooth. No engravings or markings to indicate how to complete the spell. The sharp point of the protrusion centered in the basin led Ty to suspect that blood magic was needed. Though, Ty doubted that his blood would suffice.

The Unseelie Queen had held her end of the bargain so far when she created the entryway for this place. Now he was just wasting time trying to find a solution on his own without her help.

Ty felt his pocket for reassurance, feeling the only supplies he had gotten together before he had realized Kit was gone. He had spent a large amount of time studying the blight and necromantic rituals over the past few years, and this place that he was standing at the threshold of, he believed held the answers to both. He had no idea he would be going here when he started planning this trip. Afterall, the only information of this place he could find were fragmented mentions in various myths. He knew though that Faerie would have an entrance if any place would. So thinking as far ahead as he could he gathered a few supplies.

Approaching footsteps echoed around the hollow cave, alerting Ty to possible danger. Drawing back from the basin Ty turned to face the newcomer. Reflexively, Ty moved his hand to where his weapons belt had been only to feel the waistband of his pants. He waited as the footsteps got closer, thinking with apprehension that the Unseelie Queen had come to do as she promised.

When he saw that it was actually Kit he felt ashamed at how relieved he was.

Kit stopped at the end of the entryway, glittering stalactites separating them. The sea green color from the water was refracted in the cave, dancing across the walls, illuminating Kit like something from a Van Gogh painting.

"You left me again. I thought we promised not to do that anymore."

Ty hated how disappointed Kit sounded in him. "I know, I'm sorry. I wanted to bring you with me but.." he trailed off knowing he couldn't explain. The fear he had, the promises he had made, all those things he couldn't voice out loud.

Kit was walking forward but paused at Ty's next words.

"Why are you still here?" Ty wasn't looking at him, it felt wrong somehow after everything he had done.

"What do you mean?" Kit tilted his head to the side at the question.

Ty flexed his fingers, examining them as he tried to explain, "I keep thinking I'm going to finally push you away. That I'll make a mistake and you'll give up on me."

"Ty.." he started taking a few steps forward. "The sun could explode tomorrow, the world could be overrun by demons and you would still be the most important thing to me." His arms open wide as if begging him to believe him.

"That seems like a ridiculously skewed set of priorities."

Somehow Kit managed to cross the cavern without him noticing.

"Maybe, but it's true," he said softly, closing the distance between them. Ty lifted his gaze to look at him, standing in front of him now.

Ty knew in declarations of love it was often expected to exaggerate what that person meant to you to get your feelings across, but he couldn't think of anything as eloquent as what Kit had said either. But he figured he had to try, "what I want to say is I know it sounds like an exaggeration or irresponsible but that's how you make me feel too. I never thought I would fall in love. I thought my family and my passions would be enough, but since I met you I knew I wanted you to be apart of everything in my life."

Ty felt his proclamation was underwhelming. But Kit just wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss.

He reached behind his back to feel Kit's shoulder blades, taking that material of his gear into his hands as he pressed himself into him. Somehow, even though he knew it was wrong he couldn't help but feel that this was where they were supposed to be, here together.

Kit pulled back slightly, "Remember what I promised you? I'll be with you until the end," he whispered.

Ty searched his face, making sure to cherish this moment. He loved every part of him so much.

He took a deep breath. "There's something I need to tell you and you're not going to like it."

"Is this going to be some convincing reason as to why we can't just go back home and live happily ever after?" Kit sighed.

"Yes?" Ty gave him a confused look before brushing him off. "This is not only the entryway to the land of the dead but also I believe it has a connection to the blight. More specifically, I think the spell that created the blight is drawing on the death energy here."

"Seriously? The land of the dead?" Kit's eyes opened wide as he took in what looked like an endless sea.

"I would explain more but I don't think it matters if we can't find a way to get there." Ty pointed out across the water. "According to sources, it's like a city in the center of the sea. We have to find a way across."

Kit looked back at him, his face set in an expression he had been giving him of late. Ty felt his gut twist as he realized it was a look of scrutiny.

"Are you lying?" Kit asked.

Ty felt slightly insulted, "I never lie."

"What about when you told me you didn't love me anymore?"

"Technically, all I said was that you were being a nuisance, and to be fair, you sort of were." Ty worried that he had said too much for a moment but the corners of Kit's mouth just twitched as he tried to fight a smile.

"I think I've been a bad influence on you," he said shaking his head.

"Jules has only been saying that for years now," Ty reminded him.

"Well, you know me." Kit moved around to look at the basin his eyes fixated on spire. "I try my best to avoid personal reflection." He moved his hand as if to grasp it before Ty's hand shot out to stop him.

"Don't! It's magic, it's likely sharper than it seems."

Kit had an odd expression as he looked at the basin, "blood magic then?"

Ty nodded, letting go of his arm. "If we do this wrong, though, it's likely the whole place will collapse instead of showing us the way."

As soon as Ty finished, Kit quirked his head to the side deciding something before reaching out again. This time slicing his hand open on the point.

Ty made a shocked noise and Kit quickly pulled his hand back, his hand sliced deeper than expected. The basin came to life, blood trickled down from speared edge flowing down into the basin. Magic seemed to be producing more of Kit's blood as it filled up the basin, much more than would be possible to get from Kit's cut.

As the basin filled to the brim, the bronze stones at the foot of the basin seemed to melt away into the cavern floor just as a a bronze boat seemed to materialize out of liquid on the water's surface.

That was probably one of the strangest things Kit had ever seen. Considering he spent part of his life as a mundane with the Sight trying to blend in, that was saying something.

Ty and Kit exchanged a look.

"How did you know that would work?" Ty asked.

Kit looked back at the boat, the strange expression back on his face. "I just felt it. It's hard to explain, but I think it requires the blood of Manan."

"The god of the sea, who ferries souls of the dead to the afterlife." Ty said as the realization dawned on him, joining Kit in staring at the boat.

"Turns out he's sort of like my great-grandfather which I guess makes the Riders my uncles and aunts?"

Ty opened his mouth to say something.

"You know what? I know you want an explanation but can we talk about it later?" Kit thought of his mother and suddenly realized he really didn't want to have that discussion right now.

"If that's what you want."

Kit was once again grateful that Ty was never one to push him when he didn't want to talk.

"That would make sense though," he continued, "So this must be the boat he uses to ferry spirits."

They both continued to stare at the boat, the surrealness of the situation sinking in.

"I suppose we should just get in." Ty took a step into the boat, carefully distributing his weight.

Kit moved to grab ahold of the boat to steady himself when Ty caught his hand.

He turned his hand over to examine his wound. It was still bleeding freely, the cut worryingly deep. Ty ripped a piece of his shirt, which was easy considering that the material was already worn and frayed. He wrapped the cloth around Kit's hand securing it firmly while taking care not to tie it too tight.

"Here, it's not ideal but at least it will staunch the bleeding." Ty frowned at the dirty material.

"You don't think that the ritual is going to bleed me dry do you?" Kit asked suddenly concerned as he looked back at the basin filled with blood.

"I couldn't tell you, hopefully not." Ty didn't even attempt a reassuring tone, "maybe that will teach you not to grab ancient powerful magical objects."

Kit tried to object, but Ty simply pulled him into the boat with him.

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Fortunately, the boat began to move of its own accord once Ty and Kit were settled in the boat, seemingly magically navigating its way through the waters towards their destination. The boat glided across the water, the only thing breaking the glass surface sending the only ripples across the sea. Kit imagined the ripples reaching all the way to the unknown edges of lands.

It was eerily quiet without the sound of lapping waves and dense fog that obscured their vision as it settled upon them. They had been traveling for awhile now and Kit had no sense of where he was or how far out they were, he figured that was probably the point, though.

"So, explain to me how this place is connected to the blight," he asked.

"As you know, the Black Volume is a book of necromantic spells and rituals. Predominantly focusing on magic that requires death energy."

"Right, and the spell that created the blight also came from the Black Volume." Kit thought he knew where this was going but he really hoped he was wrong.

"Yes, now consider how extensive the blight has become and still growing. That would take an enormous amount of death energy. So, either someone is making large periodical sacrifices or it draws on the dead spirits here."

A chill ran through Kit as the first breeze they had felt broke the still air around them. He could almost imagine he could hear a faint voice on the wind.

"How could any spell possibly do that?" This place seemed well hidden even in mythologies and any lore about the dead that Kit had studied, and thanks to the Scholomance he had become something of an expert on that subject. So, how was it possible to tap into this place when hardly anyone even knew it existed?

"My theory is that it would require the energy of deceased Nephilim to cancel the effects of runes and seraphic aligned objects." Ty was tapping his fingers on his knee as he talked. His other hand had never left Kit's since bandaging it. It was causing his wound a dull ache, but Kit wasn't about to say anything that might make Ty pull his hand out of his.

"Any evidence?" He asked, really playing the part of Watson now. The glint in Ty's eye told him it wasn't going unappreciated.

"The ground around the affected areas become burned to ashes correct?"

"Yeah," Kit said slowly.

"And what do we do when a Shadowhunter dies?"

"We burn them…" It dawned on him then, "son of a-"

"That might also explain the oppressive feeling of despair that resides in those areas as well. "Ty said, cutting of Kit's vulgar exclamation.

The fog began to clear and out of the haze they could make out a stone city with tall dark structures appearing as if they just came springing into existence out of the water. A stifling silence fell between them as their boat drifted towards the shore. The boat hit the embankment, where the stone floor begin, sea washing into the streets at ankle level. The two quietly got out of the boat struggling not to slip on the wet flagstones. They looked back at the boat. It floated patiently as if knowing it was docked.

Tentatively they began to walk into the city, all the while their hands still entwined.

Kit looked behind him to see if the boat was still there when he noticed the sea turning the color of blood, figures in the water washing up onto the stone floor. They were wispy, transparent silhouettes of humans. Waves that weren't there before gently pushed the sleeping spirits onto the embankment. As he watched, the sea deposited the last of the spirits and turned back into a normal blue green color, the waves ceasing suddenly into stillness.

He wondered if he could ever look at the ocean the same way again. He wondered if the L.A. institute that sat at the edge of the sea, could ever feel like home again or if he would just see this sight every time he gazed out at the ocean or smelled sea salt in the wind.

Kit turned back around, he distantly registered Ty asking him if he was alright.

Ty was looking pale himself, his lips tight, and a bead of sweat falling past his brow and down his cheek,

"It's nothing," he choked.

A deathly quiet seemed to stalk them as they descended into the city, their heartbeats becoming louder in their ears at the pressure. Kit could feel his blood pumping through his veins, and knew it was this place telling him he was alive.

The city loomed around them, dark spires and black stones made up the buildings of the city. The tops of the towers and taller buildings were weathered down. Sometimes entire sections of the roof or windows were completely destroyed, as if the strong winds above had been attempting to make the city bow.

Kit had noticed that the buildings seemed to be arranged into circular neighbourhoods and as they got closer to the center of the town the neighbourhoods got smaller. The city looked practically abandoned, but sometimes out of the corner of his eye, Kit would catch a glimpse of a wispy figure darting out of sight. He had no idea if Ty had noticed the possible occupants hiding just out of sight because he was staring determinedly ahead.

"If this is what the afterlife is like I may seriously have to consider contracting vampirism," Kit muttered.

"Maybe this is just a way point between places." Ty said offhandedly, but Kit could tell he was

disturbed.

"Like a purgatory?" Ty didn't answer, but Kit hoped for everyone's sake that he was right.

As they got closer to the center the buildings became more delaptated. Some houses were just ruins. The architecture itself changed as well, taking on styles less european but varying in designs that looked like they were taken out of a history book. Thick vines like petrified wood wrapped around the structures trying to claim them. They crossed a courtyard with a strange humanoid statue with one large hollowed out hole at the center of the face Kit guessed was supposed to be an eye. The statue was standing in the middle of a fountain that held less water comparatively to the water that flowed through the streets.

"What are we looking for here exactly?" Kit asked as they came to a stop in front of the statue.

Another figure darted out of the courtyard and vanished. This time he saw Ty's head turn at the movement as it disappeared out of sight.

Kit wondered if Ty was waiting to see someone he knew like he was. He couldn't help the intense curiosity he felt every time he saw a spirit dash out of sight.

Was it his father?

Ty turned away from where the spirit was and pointed at the tallest tower in the city, seemingly positioned in the very center. "There," he said, " _While from the proud tower in the town,_

 _Death looks gigantically down."_ He quoted.

Kit recognized the line from the spell Ty had told Omand was the origin of the blight.

"So you think that's the center of the death energy?" Kit hoped it didn't mean he was about to have his first family reunion with his relatives on the godly side.

"I thought that the spell was referencing what places the blight would hit but now I think that line in particular was referencing that tower."

As they stared at the tower in the distance the sky turned the same blood red Kit had seen the sea turn earlier and suspected it was now. A low vibration pulsated from the tower like a shock wave.

Ty stared wide eyed, "What was that?"

Kit thought back to what he saw earlier with the spirits entering the city, "I think it means your right. That, and Manann only personally ferries the really important spirits to his city." he added trying for light hearted, but it came out more dry.

Ty gave a curt nod and began walking towards the tower with stiff movements, and tense shoulders.

He wondered how he was dealing with this place, Kit hated it himself how this place made being alive feel _wrong._ When the tower let out it's pulse he could feel his soul shuddering like he was somehow confined and constrained by the bones and flesh in his body.

Kit gave Ty's hand a gentle squeeze ignoring the pain in his hand. Ty returned it, and together they trudged on.

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The tower stood tall and menacing with three long spires at the head. Storms or age had worn away parts of the tower taking away large chunks of the building, yet impossibly it stood.

As they approached they noticed a large hole at the base of the tower where the stone had fallen away to create a makeshift entryway.

Ty treaded carefully over crumbled brick and mortar to get to the tower peeking inside.

It was small and dark, save for the red light that emanated from a circle drawn in the very center.

A binding circle to be exact.

"This is it." Ty whispered, walking through the entryway.

As he walked towards the circle he could make out statues surrounding them on all sides at the edges of the room, barely illuminated by the red glow of the circle. They reminded Ty of idols he had seen from various religions, except there was something off about them, inhuman. Something that registered them as something 'other' than what he has known of the world.

Ty motioned for Kit to wait as he crossed slowly into the room, trying to keep his eye on the statues, aware that they may be there for more have been placed there as watchers of this place.

As he approached the edge of the circle, he hesitated, the despair and aminosty in this place was impossible to distinguish where it was coming from.

The circle or the idols? Or something else entirely?

"Ty wait-" Kit stood just past the entrance casting a wary glance at the circle.

Ty took a deep breath and crossed over into the circle. The light shone brighter for amount before dying back down, Ty breathed a sigh of relief.

Kit on the other hand looked panicked.

Ty flew out another hand to stop Kit as he made a move forward. He couldn't let Kit get in the circle with him.

"The circle is partially binding Nephilim spirits to the mundane world.." he began to explain.

"So what should we do break it?" Kit asked.

"Not yet, I have to do something first." Ty pulled out a small vile from his pocket, and pulled off the cork hoping beyond hope he knew what he was doing.

"Ty! I'm begging you don't do this!"

Kit's voice cut through his concentration bringing him back to the room where they stood alone on the precipice of death. He couldn't know what he was planning, but somehow he did.

"It won't kill me," was all he said, at least as long as he got the mixture right it wouldn't. "I just need to make it seem like I've died so I can break Livvy's spirit from the circle and resurrect her."

"Make it _seem_ like you've died? That's not how these things work, we both know that!" His voice was raw and scratchy from trying to hold back tears and desperate screams, and despite himself Ty could feel a tear slip down his own cheek at the sound of it.

"Please Kit, " he said feeling his own voice waver. "Just keep my body safe until the artifact brings us back."

"Keep your body-!?" Kit choked out, rushing towards the circle now ignoring Ty's protests. "Listen to what your asking me!"

"In the end it's Blackthorn blood," he heard himself recall, speaking hardly more than a whisper.

Before Ty could even think of a way to stop him, Kit had crossed into the circle standing in front of him, his arms held out and pleading.

Ty ducked his head letting his hair fall into his face to hide the tears flowing freely down his face now. "Get out of the circle Kit, please. The spell will try to take us both." Ty pushed his hands lightly against Kit's chest as if trying to push him away and out of the circle. But there was no effort, no heart in it.

Kit stood still letting Ty push him but never moving from the spot. His hands wrapped around his wrists holding them gently, never moving for the vile Ty still held in his hand.

"Don't do this to me." he whispered, and Ty looked up now, noticing the wavering of Kit's lips, the trembling of his hands as he held on to him.

' _I would never do that to you, what he did,'_ he had told him once. He promised he would protect him, but now Ty realized that what Kit had wanted, had probably always wanted was for him to promise never to leave.

The one thing no one had ever promised him and had never given him before.

Ty lowered his hands to his side.

He couldn't do that to Kit.

Kit's eyes looked up at him with surprise, his muscles relaxing half a fraction but the trembling that had taken over his body didn't stop.

Ty opened his mouth to say something when the sound of rubble being pushed aside by steady feet caught their attention. They looked towards the entryway and stared completely dumbfounded and at a complete loss for words at who they saw standing there.

Julian Blackthorn stood half in shadows as he walked into the dark tower.

Tiberius didn't know how or why his brother came to be here, and the possibilities rooted him to the spot, but he knew without a doubt it was his brother.

A quick glance at Kit told him he wasn't imagining him. Kit was staring open mouth with what Ty could only assume was confusion and astonishment.

"Jules?" Ty asked uncertainly, afraid of the answer he would get.

Julian stopped his approach then, lifting his gaze. Ty's eyes seemed to be drawn there, as if for the first time he would find answers in someone else's eyes.

It was terrifying what he saw there, as he looked into his brothers eyes, just like Julian had taught him to do when it was important. But instead of too much intensity as Ty was used to seeing, he saw nothing. His blue green eyes seemed to swirl uncomfortably with some sort of darkness, making his eyes look like a whirlpool trying to pull him into the ocean depths.

Ty felt himself trapped under that gaze, being pulled in before Kit grabbed his arm finally allowing him to look away.

"His arm…" Kit whispered.

It was immediately clear what he was talking about once his attention was called to it. The parabatai rune that bound him to Emma was bleeding, completely coating his arm in slick blood and mareing the mark.

Fear stole his breath as he realized one of two things must have happened.

Kit however, gripped his arm tighter as he looked around as if he expected to see someone else.

"Julian where is Emma?" Kit asked with a shaky breath.

All this time Julian had hardly even breathed let alone speak. At the sound of Kit's voice his headed snapped in his direction as if just now noticing him.

"She's not- Julian, your not-" Kit took a step forward but stopped himself as he saw Julian's arm start to convulse.

Muscles bulged and moved, his fingers twitched and moved as if out of his control. Julian stopped the movement by gripping ahold of the sword and freeing it from the weapons belt.

His muscles relaxed and became still as he lifted the sword, an eerie stillness taking over him.

"Ty move." Kit whispered, half a second before Julilan lurched for them.

Before Ty had a chance to register what Kit had said or that his older brother was charging for them with a sword held above his head, he was shoved out of the way.

Ty hit the ground, skittering across the circle, barely getting out of the way as Julian reached them.

Kit freed his sword just in time to defend himself from Julian's attack, but his grip was loose, easily being knocked out of his hand. Kit winced as he heard the sword clatter to the ground. He stumbled back in surprise, falling over his own feet.

Kit searched his face for any sign of stress or recognition but found nothing as he loomed over him. Kit wanted to say something but shock seemed to have ahold of his mind that Julian, who was like his older brother, who had taken him in, taught him to fight, even defended him, would be the one to end his life.

A flicker of confusion flashed over his face, disappearing just a quickly as it came. He paused his movements as he lifted his sword, letting the moment of humanity pass.

Kit had heard of the endarkened warriors from the Dark War and how they became demonic monsters of themselves. But they retained some sense of self and memory of who they were. Julian was looking at him as if he couldn't even see him.

His arm began to twitch again, muscles popping and moving by some dark magic. Julian tightened his grip, regaining control of his arm. Kit began to scramble to get out of the way knowing his time was up.

He brought the sword down, Kit tried to roll away knowing he waited too long to move. He barely managed to roll onto his side, turning his face away,his eyes tightly shut.

Several heartbeats later Kit was still breathing. Two things happened at once, the first was the sound of a sword clattering to the ground. The next was the blood that spatterd his face.

Kit opened his eyes, seeing the blood he wiped off his face before he looked up.

Julian eyes were blown wide as he looked down at the sword embedded in his chest, his hands reaching up trying to grasp for the blade. With a shudder Julian fell to his knees, revealing Ty who stood behind him, letting go of the hilt off the sword Kit had dropped as he fell.

Ty sunk to the ground, letting with Julian fall back on him as Ty held on to him.

Tears streamed down Ty's face, his forehead pressed into Julian's curls just a few shades lighter than his own.

"Jules, I'm so sorry! I couldn't..I couldn't…" He cried, the words barely distinguishable.

Kit sayed where he was, not even moving as he watched. There was no stele, and even if there was Kit knew a mortal wound when he saw one.

He wanted to go to Julian, to go to Ty but the barrier between himself and them felt strangely thick. He wasn't family, and Julian was dying because Ty chose to protect him.

Julian's eyes focused on his brother, a sense of clarity settling in his eyes, lighting their color.

With a shaking hand he gripped his brothers hand, holding onto him firmly as he looked up at him.

"Does this mean...you forgive me?" He cracked a hopeful smile, his eyes lighting up with fresh tears.

"I..I don't understand?" Ty stumbled.

Julian just smiled at him, reaching his hand up to touch Ty's black curls before falling limply to his side and his face fell vacant as his life left him.

"Jules? Julian?" Ty snatched up his brothers hand, shaking his shoulder.

"Ty…" Kit whispered.

Ty stopped and just sobbed as Kit watched.

Suddenly the circle was alight with almost a blinding red glow that shot up all around them. Ty didn't seem to notice at first, his eyes closed tightly as he held his brother. Kit scrambled forward, grabbing ahold of Ty. He looked up then, his eyes wide and still full of tears, before wincing at the brightness, turning his face to Kit's shoulder to block out the light.

Kit felt the ground underneath them rumble, and then he heard the foundation crack. He watched as small cracks formed, breaking apart the circle, the light fading to nothing.

"What-" He started to ask before he felt Ty fall against him, his body suddenly limp and still as the Julian next to them.

Alarmed, Kit tried to pull him back to look at him, but Ty's head just rolled to the side. Kit cupped his face in his hand.

"Oh, God please be ok, please," he prayed to every idol in the room, and every angel watching.

Julian's eyes were still open, and though they were devoid of life they seemed to be watching him with accusation.

"Hey, don't leave me alone here," his voice wavered and cracked as he pleaded, "You promised me remember?" Ty still didn't answer and Kit looked over at Julian again. A sound ripped itself from Kit's throat that sounded more like a howl in the silence then a sob.

He remembered coming to the Institute completely lost and determined to reject the strangers around him. He had no idea where he was going but being angry seemed like a good place to start back then. It soon became clear that he would never want anything more then for them to look at him as one of them.

He remembered how Julian had been so patient even though he didn't have the time and bigger things to worry about then some broody teenager too damaged to let in his kindness. He remembered how Livvy and Ty gave him what he need most in the world without knowing it, a place to belong, and someone who needed him.

Memories of Julian halfheartedly teasing him that he was too much trouble and how he confessed he had relied on him too much to take care of Ty after Livvy died.

And then there was Ty.

He couldn't lose Ty, he was woven into everything he knew about himself and ever wanted for himself. He was the whole reason he was brave enough to admit he wanted to be loved by the Blackthorns, the reason he had found himself when he suddenly thought he never knew anything about who he was.

The memories were crushing as if gravity was trying to drag him to Hell for ever daring to love Shadowhunters.

Why was this always the end? Was this the price he had to pay for being alive when so many wanted him dead? A borrowed life bargaining the lives of those he loved?

Kit felt Ty stir, snapping out of his despair.

Ty lifted his gaze, his gray eyes meeting his and Kit inhaled sharply. He knew immediately something was wrong, the expression on Ty's face strangely familiar but foreign on his delicate features. He was instantly reminded of the nightmare he had where Ty was being used as a puppet by someone else.

"Kit.." It was Ty's voice but there was a hollowness to it that Kit had never heard before.

Ty turned to look at Julian's body and his face crumpled. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I tried to warn you."

Fresh tears spilled down his cheeks.

Kit was hit with a sense of deja vu, at last realizing who it must be that was speaking to him, "Livvy," he breathed.

He turned towards him again, nodding his head. Kit remembered the dreams he used to be plagued with and how after he learned Ty's secret how they seemed like a cruel premonition.

"Those dreams.."

He took a shuddering breath, "It was the best I could do but it just wasn't enough. I should have told you before I died."

"What do you mean?"

"That day, just before the trial when I told you that I didn't think that was how we were supposed to be."

Kit did remember. He remembered untangling her hair from the necklace she wore, how relieved he felt when she said they shouldn't kiss again. he had thought of that last conversation with her running through those words countless times. After she died, the conversation had turned into something almost like a lullaby, or a bedtime story he would go through before falling asleep every night.

"I could tell you had feelings for Ty, it was so obvious. But I didn't want push you two. I thought it would be better to let you guys figure it out yourselves and that I would be there when you did."

"I mean, we sort of figured it out eventually," Kit tried to reassure her.

As strange as it was that he was having a conversation with here and now, it made perfect sense to him in a way. Like this was what everything was inevitably leading up to.

"But it was too late by then, Ty had already decided what he wanted to do."

Kit thought he should argue with her, but he had the same thought at least a million times, that if he hadn't spent so much time being confused and afraid he would been there more for Ty.

"Livvy, how is this possible?" He finally asked.

He could almost see her through Ty's face, and he steeled himself for the answer she would tell him, hoping beyond hope that this wasn't permanent.

She lifted Ty's head to look at him, he imagined he could see a flash of blue and green dancing in his grey eyes.

"The seal broke, but not as it should. I can't really explain it but it added too much energy to the binding circle. It didn't just break the spell but it also tore the veil between life and death."

Kit stared trying to guess what that would mean, he wished Ty could explain.

 _Ty._

"Livvy, Ty's not gone is he? He'll-" He swallowed his words, unsure how to ask if she would disappear again, and the fact that at this moment that was all he wanted.

To get him back, even if that meant Livvy was gone forever.

Livvy nodded, closing Ty's eyes and took a deep breath. His body slumped over again, and somehow Kit knew she had left them.

He held Ty to him, trying not to think that he lost his last chance to tell her goodbye, for him and for Ty. He hoped they would both forgive him.

He looked over at Julian again. He hoped everyone would.

A light erupted around the two of them, pure white blinding erasing the tower and everything around them, plunging them into blank space.

Then suddenly the light was gone and as Kit's eyes readjusted he saw that they were back in Diego's room at the Scholomance.

Kit rested his cheek on the top of Ty's head, he was still unconscious, but Kit held him tighter to him for reassurance.

Though it was over, Kit knew they had to start preparing for whatever was coming next.

The hard part was just starting.

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It wasn't an easy thing to try to heal from Julian's death. It was felt in everything the Blackthorns did or didn't do. Because Julian wasn't there to tell them anymore.

Ty and Kit returned to the Los Angeles institute after what happened, to grieve with the family and to avoid questions from the Centurions. They hadn't talked about it yet but Kit doubted they would be returning to the Scholomance again. Afterall, they were investigating as to why Julian was in Faerie to begin with and it wasn't as if Kit and Ty could tell them that they were there as well.

Cristina had told them that Emma had gone berserk around the same time Julian probably did and that his death was the only thing that could have saved her. She also explained that it was a sort of curse because they fell in love. The strength of the parabatai rune corrupting their love and slowly drove them insane. It meant it wasn't their fault, not really. Kit tired to take some comfort in that, though it wasn't much.

Diego had practically begged Ty to forgive him when he had came to for telling Julian where they hardly seemed to register Diego's words, his mind seemed to be working something out. Kit wondered if Ty was still hiding something from him, but he refused to even talk to him on the matter.

So, Kit just sat with him instead of asking. They spent so many days in silence after that.

Ty didn't talk much either, he seemed to prefer to work everything that had happened on his own. Kit spent those days mostly sitting beside him, waiting and hoping he would need him. There were only a few times he wanted Kit to touch him, and only ground him when he did.

It was odd in the way that Ty was behaving like everyone had thought he would when Livvy died. Of course he wasn't grieving she died, Kit knew now, and maybe now he was finally accepting that they were both gone.

Kit wasn't sure he was doing enough, but he figured as long as he knew he was there then that was good enough for Ty.

Kit was lying beside him one night, facing away from Ty to give him space. They spent every night like that since coming back, though Ty never asked him to, it was more so Kit's sake then his. When he was alone that dark city by the sea seemed to claw its way back into his mind. At least when he was with Ty he could just concentrate on the feeling of him next to him instead. That would have to be enough for him until Ty was ready. Kit knew first hand that you had allow yourself to deal with grief, and that meant time.

Kit shifted through his dreams, still in a state of lucidness before slept took it's full grip over him. He flipped through the images in his mind, trying to find a safe place to settle before he was at his subcounciness mercy. He saw his mother, his father, sometimes he was back at his old house in Victor Heights, sometimes he was back in that tower surrounded by blood. In truth he had been afraid of dreaming since he found out his dreams had been manipulated more than once. He was afraid of what he would see there, not only the past but whatever the future might hold.

He felt arms wrap around his chest, slowly stirring him back into wakefulness.

"Kit.." He felt Ty's breath on his ear and he was instantly awake.

Ty's body felt steady against him, not trembling like when he was overwhelmed. His voice was soft and gentle as he said his name.

Kit mumbled something incoherently, taken off guard and half asleep.

"Are you asleep?" Ty asked, his voice was still hushed as if he was making a conscious effort to not disturb him.

"I'm awake." Kit answered, moving his hands to hold onto Ty's.

"I thought you might be having a nightmare. You haven't been sleeping well lately."

Kit looked down at the sheets that were tangled around his feet. He must have been moving around restlessly. It was true, he found himself lying awake most nights, preferring to just stay tired instead of sleeping. Things were just easier that way, when he couldn't think.

"Not anymore." Kit felt himself relax against him, his muscles unwinding for the first time in what felt like ages.

There was silence again, Kit thought the moment was over until Ty spoke again.

"I'm sorry." He didn't say for what, but he didn't need to. After everything they had gone through together, an explanation was unnecessary.

Kit rolled over to face him, Ty letting him while keeping his arms around him.

"Ty, all I only ever wanted was you. I'm never going to ask for anything other then this, I love you."

Ty smiled, it was the first one in a long time. It was a bit sad, but it gave Kit hope that he was willing to move forward with him.

Ty rested his forehead against Kit's, "I love you too, I always will," he said before pressing his lips against Kit's.

Kit kissed him back before pulling him into a tight hug.

They would be alright, because they were together.

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But they wouldn't be together forever, Ty knew. He sat at the steps of the institute watching the sky and fiddling with the Blackthorn ring Kit still didn't know he had. It was still early. Dawn had yet to come and Kit was still fast asleep in the room they were now sharing together. He found himself watching the skies for enemies alot these days when Kit wasn't around to see. The Queen of Air and Darkness had kept her promise to provide Ty with what he needed to break the seal. He couldn't admit it out loud, but Ty knew it was impossible for Julian to have ended up in that tower that night without her help.

And there was still one last part of the deal to come to fruition. He was still anxiously awaiting for her, or something to come for Kit. It was his last secret, and the last thing that laid between them like a wedge.

He didn't know what he would do when that time came where he would have to choose. How could he know what was best for Kit when all he had wanted was to be with him? But maybe being with him wasn't the best for him, not yet at least.

Ty wished that one day soon he could be brave enough to be honest with him about the promises he made behind his back. He could only hope that when he did, Kit's answer would still be the same as it always had.

Until then he could watch the skies and hope.


	11. Epilogue: Intertwined

" _Thou wast that all to me, love,_

 _For which my soul did pine…_

 _And all my days are trances,_

 _And all my nightly dreams_

 _Are where thy grey eye glances,_

 _And where thy footstep gleams"_

 **\- Edgar Allan Poe**

 **Four Years Later,**

Kit admired the cotton flowers that grew like ivy up the pillars weaving into the silky white fabric of the pavillion canopy. Fresh wild flowers of blues, purples, and gold, bloomed around them like a natural bouquet in the tall grass. The sky above them looked like an oil painting of a fairy tale, and he supposed that wasn't far off the mark.

The summer flowers were a good a sign, he thought. It meant the Faerie was healthy again, which was good knews to Kit because the last thing he needed was to be bound to a dying land when he officially became king of both Courts.

It was beautiful here, but Kit missed the ocean and sandy beaches. Of course he was aware it was far more likely that it was a certain Blackthorn that tasted of salt and sea, that warmed him like sand bathed in sunlight that he missed. Bright colors and vibrant shades could never compare to dark hair and silver eyes set against pale skin.

His hand subconsciously reached up to grab his thin tunic just where his heart was. The hollowness that ached there was a constant reminder of his absence, as if he needed another one.

"What does your heart long for today, princling?"

Kit turned his attention back to his companion and set him with an annoyed look.

Ash's fair hair fell in his face, brushing his high cheekbones. His brilliant green eyes shone with mischief as he spoke. The points of his ears peaked noticeably through his hair, his half faey lineage more pronounced then Kit's.

His mother had told him once that his ears had been clipped at an early age. According to her, it was a small price to pay to keep his identity secret. Kit wondered if his infant self would have agreed.

Kit brushed the tips of his ears subconsciously, feeling there the beginnings of small points, as if his time in Faerie was beginning to physically change him.

"Advisors who are quiet, preferably," Kit answered, returning to the circular ornate table in the middle of the pavilion.

"Then what would you do without my guidance? Besides staring out windows forlorn until the end of days?" He teased back.

"At least I would have some peace of mind without worrying about your scheming."

Ash just smiled at his jab, enjoying the lack of pretense while it lasted. Kit liked Ash, he was clever and had a knack for sarcasm that was often lacking among Faeries. Not to mention it was rare to meet someone even close to his own age here. Although he liked him, he was not stupid enough to trust him. Kit was only here as a means of survival. Control the courts and no one could touch him, that was the plan. But Ash had a claim to the thrones as well, and to him it was his birthright.

It was a keep your enemies close situation come to life if he had ever heard of one.

Growing up among Faeries gave Ash one distinct disadvantage however, that Kit could exploit. Ash was not accustomed to liars, so even though he could lie he had no idea how to conceal it or how to spot a one. Because of this Kit was able to remain a few steps ahead of him.

Who would have thought Johnny's lessons would prepare him so well for politics?

Kit looked at the map laid out on the table. It was a map of Faerie, the picture shifted and changed with the landscape in real time as he watched.

He reached out, poking the map with his finger at their current location. The map rippled like water at his touch, an inky dot marking the spot.

"Do we have anymore allies for our campaign?" Kit asked, watching as more dots marked with his sigil, a mended crown, sprung up on the map.

Ash lazily lounged on the table, resting his elbows as he leaned forward. "I have heard we have made progress with the dryads and the nymphs. The nixies and selkies are still against you, obviously."

Kit nodded as he thought. They had been moving throughout the land campaigning to gain support for his claim to the throne. Ash traveled with him, doubling as an advisor and enemy contender as they vied for support. "Nothing new then."

"Of course, communication would be much easier if time was not moving differently for us then the rest of Faerie," he said, glancing at the Blackthorn ring Kit wore.

Ty had given him back the ring just before Kit ran off to Faerie. He had no idea Ty had it, he thought it was lost forever. Ty told him he had it enchanted like Cristina's pendent so time would move for him as it did in the mundane world. Kit would never have left without some promise that they could find each other again, and he suspect Ty had known that.

Since his arrival in the Courts it had become obvious that time was moving as it did outside of Faerie, and the cause wasn't hard to figure out. Still, Kit never dared take it off even for a second. As long as he wore it there was a chance they could meet again, and he would rather die than be parted from it.

"It's not a problem, we talk to our emissaries on a daily basis, sometimes twice a day."

Ash shrugged, opening his mouth to say something before a guard made his presence known, waiting for their acknowledgment.

They turned towards the Faerie, who gave Kit a deep bow before speaking.

Earie was a faey with vines that grew against his skin where his veins should have been. He was both equally fascinating and horrifying to look at in Kit's opinion. But what was really important about Earie was that he was young, and not just by Faey standards, and therefore impressionable without old allegiances and prejudices. Kit often relied on him specifically for that reason.

"We have an intruder," he said, his head still bowed low.

Kit raised an eyebrow as he considered the information. His first thought was the phooka that often snuck in, running amok through the Courts. No matter where they moved he seemed to find them. Kit didn't know if he had grown attached to him after meeting him in the Thorn Mountains years ago or if he had something more sinister in mind. He had tried to get him captured at first to no avail, no one seemed able to lay a finger against the creature. Whatever he was planning Kit was so far powerless to do anything about it.

"What sort of intruder?"

"A Shadowhunter, my Lord, requesting an audience."

Kit and Ash exchanged a dark look. At least where the Clave was concerned, they had the same opinion.

This was a delicate situation for Kit for several reasons. First of all, the last he had heard the cohort had gained even more influence in the Clave, and it seemed far more likely they to him that they would send an assassin then an envoy. Secondly, an audience with a Shadowhunter would only draw attention to his own Nephilim blood, something that put him in ill favor with many Faerie gentry.

"Perhaps they have finally come to collect you." Ash said cherrily, no doubt thinking along the same lines.

Kit rolled his eyes, an expression Ash was unfamiliar with when they first met but quickly became fond of, often imitating it himself in the time he had known him. "It'll take more then one Shadowhunter to abduct me from my own Court."

"He is waiting in the foyer my Prince. What would you have us do?" Earie asked, finally straightening up from his bow.

It wasn't the ideal time, but it had always been his plan to deal with the Clave at some point to negotiate. If there was a chance he could secure them as allies and end the Cold Peace, that would win him immersible favor.

Not to mention it could drastically change his circumstances.

"I suppose we should hear him out then."

They followed Earie out into a ruined hall near the pavilion, Ash walking beside Kit looking far too excited for his comfort. The hall lead into an entryway of an old castle that had fallen away to little more than pillars and stone floors. They had been holding Court in old relics like these all throughout Faerie as they traveled, they seemed uninhabitable, however their magic still shielded these places from the weather and cold.

As they reached the end of the corridor, the foyer came into view.

Ash let out a low whistle, followed by what sounded like, "wow,"

Kit looked into the room and noticed the grim faces of his knights lined up on either side of the Old Stone throne first.

His mother stood to the right side of his throne, her face was pale, her hand raised to cover her mouth. She looked positively terrified to Kit.

That was when Kit turned to look for the threat, and when his eyes found him the world fell away.

His heart pounded in his chest, creating an almost deafening roaring in his ears.

He was there, standing between two knights, tall and graceful. His dark curls were longer then when he had last seen him, yet he looked exactly like he did when Kit dreamed.

His gray eyes found his own, sparkling like stardust framed by dark lashes, pinning him to the spot. That face he knew better then his own, because he spent every waking moment he could trying to remember it.

It was a sight so stunning, so unbelievable, he felt just like he had when he first saw him, completely unarmed by all the beautiful things he had never known he wanted.

And somehow, everything he ever wanted since was standing right in front of him.

Time seemed to stand still as his mind tried to grasp what was in front of him, telling him _this is real, this is real,_ _this is real._

Finally, time resumed it's normal pace and the room flooded back into his vision as one of the Knights announced,

"Tiberius Blackthorn requests an audience with the Prince."

The end! I'm so sorry this took so long! I also really wanted to say thank you to everyone who read this and left reviews and encouragement. I really, really needed Kit and Ty for awhile there and writing all this helped me as I was trying to make it out of bad place I was in. And it gave me back a hobby I had long since abandoned and never expected to pick up again. But I get discouraged easily, so I know I could never have done all of this without the support I got. So really thank you, cause I really needed this.


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